I don't like all of Augustine's impact on the church - his ideas about sexuality in particular have been very destructive* - but the Confessions really is a tour de force. And I thought what he does with Monica is actually very interesting - he uses her to symbolise the faith and love of the church; a lot of the time (though not entirely, because she's still a real person and a rounded - and flawed - character) she is the vehicle through which God reaches out to Augustine, only Augustine is too proud to notice until he has his breakdown in the garden, and there's a parallel between Monica's tears earlier on and his tears in the conversion scene.



* Unlike Blessed Thomas, who is so much more sensible and indeed consistent, because Augustine's pessimism about sexuality really doesn't fit with his other views on creation...