Portrait of The Artist
Portrait of The ArtistPortrait of The Artist
A Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man Stephen, makes the claim that he perceives his identity as being selfcontained and non-contradictory. Being readers we see that this in actuality is almost a direct opposite of how Stephen has been living his life. As his mind jumps from thinking about a life as a man of god then to life as a man who can express his feelings he sees a women on a beach. This passage shows where Stephen attempts to apply his esthetic views.
In this, the fourth chapter, Stephen confesses to the director that he has been thinking about becoming a priest. During this he thinks about the power that he could obtain from being part of the church's clergy. At the end of the meaning however a dark warning that he must think of his decision. "you must be quiet sure, Stephen, because it may depend the salvation of your eternal soul." It is almost like the priest had been reading the life of Stephen and knew that he had other worldly wishes. This final comment puts Stephen into mood that would in fact change his mind.
During this time when Stephen is leaving the meeting James Joyce uses imagery as before in the novel to compel the reader to think of Stephen the artist. "A quartet of young men �.. stepping to the agile melody of their leader's concertina". This is where Stephen starts to think of the dull "passionless life that awaited him". These troubles lead him into thoughts of the symbols of the church especially that of the Virgin Mary and how they are loosing their slots in his memory. These in turn are being replaced by images of freedom and the ease at which men of his kind can "fall".
His thinking leads him on a...
To view the complete essay, you be registered.