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The Genius – Theodore Dreiser | Art, Desire, and the Moral Cost of Self-Worship Part 3
Published 1 month, 4 weeks ago
Description
⭐ Catholic Star-Rated Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5 – Morally Dangerous, Spiritually Instructive) The Genius is one of Theodore Dreiser’s most psychologically intense works—a novel that explores artistic ambition untethered from moral discipline. Following the rise and collapse of a gifted artist, Dreiser examines how talent, when divorced from virtue, becomes a source of pride, lust, and eventual ruin. From a Catholic perspective, The Genius functions as a grave warning against the modern error of self-deification—the belief that creative brilliance excuses moral transgression. Dreiser does not sanctify vice; instead, he exposes its corrosive effects on the soul, relationships, and creative integrity itself. While the novel contains mature themes requiring discretion, its unflinching realism makes it a valuable study in the dangers of sensual excess, ego, and the rejection of objective moral law. Recommended for mature listeners interested in moral psychology, artistic vocation, and the spiritual perils of unrestrained individualism.