The scope of events occurring in an area at a time often plays a major role in the literature produced in that area. Influential events can range from wars, treaties, changes in power, and especially religious changes and conflicts. Influenced literary works acquire themes and motifs from these events in order to portray the author’s view on the matter as well as how it has affected the culture. In the Middle Ages, religion was perhaps the most crucial influence in shaping literature. One author who exemplifies this observation is Aurelius Augustinus (better known as Augustine), in his writing of Confessions. Augustine started Confessions in 397 CE, completing it in 401 CE. In that same century (4th century), there was a major religious …show more content…
In this manner, he suggests that everyone needs God no matter who they are, sinners or not. To make this effective for the purpose of understanding and empathy, Augustine provides the tale of his sinful youth. He addresses original sin and venial sin. Writing the work as an older man, he looks back at his younger years with disgust and sorrowfulness. He notices many areas in his life where he had sinned and did not know it at the age. He blames his weak young mind saying, “The mind commands the body and is instantly obeyed. The mind commands itself and meets resistance” (8.10). He means that it is easy to convince the body that an unjust action is justified, but the mind still knows the truth about the situation. He provides an encounter he had with a pear tree, where he stole pears for the simple pleasure of stealing them (4.9). The group he was with convinced him he was not doing wrong, but later upon reflecting on this, it is impossible for his mind to accept that what he did was right. This can be seen as a clear influence of the religious schism that was present. The Donatists easily convinced one another that some people were unworthy of God, but if they truly reflected on their actions, the truth of their injustice would be revealed to