English Language and Literature ETDs
Publication Date
Fall 12-13-2025
Abstract
Bilateral Symmetry is Proof of God is a novel-in-stories about John Patterson, a character based in Albuquerque. It is largely “plotless,” in keeping with the philosophical or meditative tradition of fiction embodied by such works as Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man or McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, though it fits into several literary traditions. As part of the bildungsroman tradition, for example, early stories detail events from John’s early years, namely an experience that results in wariness of religion, and his first hunting experience. In these narratives, themes such as faith, ethics, and a desire for spiritual fulfillment in a post-spiritual age materialize. These themes are fulfilled by later stories in the collection, which detail John’s adulthood, his growth as a hunter, as a paleontologist, and how elements of his character reflect a changing worldview, one in which there is room for both spirituality and science.
Degree Name
MFA Creative Writing
Level of Degree
Masters
Department Name
English
First Committee Member (Chair)
Daniel Mueller
Second Committee Member
Gregory Martin
Third Committee Member
Andrew Bourelle
Fourth Committee Member
Benjamin Robertson
Language
English
Keywords
New Mexico, hunting, elk, paleontology, ancient peoples, archery
Document Type
Dissertation
Recommended Citation
Byrne, Joseph Douglas. "Bilateral Symmetry is Proof of God." (2025). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/460