Papers
Document Type
Paper
Publication Date
8-10-2026
Abstract
The paper argues that poets Ocean Vuong and Mary Oliver treat grief as something formative to one's life and character rather than purely destructive; through their suffering, the subject has the opportunity to cultivate a sense of attentiveness that transforms perceptions of the self, others, history, and the natural world.
This project was an output for The Belmont Formation Scholars Cohort for Character Research and Writing, which received generous support funding from The Kern Family Foundation.
I gratefully acknowledge peer review feedback on this project, and I am accountable for writing of this product without generative AI and in alignment with the aspirations of Belmont’s AI policy and the Psalm 8 AI Taskforce as of this date.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Madison. "Grieving and Attentiveness: Perception as Flourishing in Ocean Vuong and Mary Oliver." White paper produced for The Belmont Formation Scholar Cohort for Character Research and Writing, August 6, 2026.
