Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
English
First Advisor
Beth Spencer
Second Advisor
Dustin Parsons
Third Advisor
Julie Enzser
Relational Format
Disseration/Thesis
Abstract
How to Fail at Faith tells the story of Ruth, a girl in middle school who begins to doubt her faith in the Christian God. With these doubts come existential questions, fear, and, most strangely, a voice that narrates Ruth’s everyday activities inside her head. Ruth is scared this voice means she is only a character inside a story, but is even more scared to tell her parents about her internal struggles. As Ruth grapples with her faith, this “narrator” becomes a tangible support amid uncertainties. Ruth surrenders to trusting God after fighting her doubts, and discovers that her mysterious narrator is actually her future self, writing herself into Ruth’s story to provide a friend during her time of isolation.
This novella was written to an audience of one: myself, when I was facing spiritual doubts in middle school, but it applies to anyone struggling with their faith, the meaning of life, or the purpose of death. I want doubting people who read this novella to leave strengthened with hope for their own journeys, for Christians to find compassion for those who can’t believe as easily as they do, and for non-Christians to learn more about what it looks like to believe in a good God in a secular age that is often full of evil. This novella explores the themes of doubt and faith, but with the addition of Ruth’s narrator, this story also explores the gift of friendship.
Recommended Citation
Bacon, Olivia R., "How to Fail at Faith" (2026). Honors Theses. 3413.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3413
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