Emerging from Christian tradition and influenced by the complexities of South African religious history, the confessional mode in South African literature appears in texts from both the apartheid and post-apartheid periods. This book first examines the way in which confession originated as a religious practice and then evolved into a distinctive literary mode in recent South African fiction. Gallagher considers specific instances of confessional practice and discourse in the works of ten prominent South African writers. Taking issue with Michel Foucault, who argued that confession is but another form of oppressive discourse, Gallagher shows how confessional literature opens up opportunities for reconciliation and community building.