James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man :: James Joyce Portrait Artist Young Man Papers

James Joyces A Portrait of the mechanic as a Young Man James Joyces novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) is all concerned with the development of its main case, Stephen Dedalus. By comparison with Joyces earlier version, Stephen ace 1, we see that he has cut out all extraneous poppycock concerning other characters, and presented a close and detailed account of the development of Stephens character from infancy to young manhood, the ground previously covered in Stephen adept being compressed into Chapter 5 of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. The most important aspects of Stephens early development go on internally, and Joyce takes us right inside his mind so that we brook see the intellectual and emotional development going on basis the surface. The first chapter portrays Stephen as an individual alienated from his social environment, and experiencing encounters with authorities which allow for reappear in various guises passim the book. We see the b eginnings of this process in the first page and a half, and the patterns of behaviour and relationships sh take in here are tell throughout the chapter. This opening section is almost a microcosm of the chapter and perhaps of the whole novel. Stephen has an intuitive drive towards rebellion. As a young child he plans to marry a Protestant girl from his neighbourhood, and when his fetch and Aunt Dante knock him for this he defiantly hides under the table. This instinctive drive stays with him throughout the book, until, in the fifth and final chapter, he presents his defiant attitude in mature intellectual terms with his statement I will not fare . . . (p.247)Stephens rebellious attitude is necessary in order for him to preserve his own beliefs and values in the face of authorities which try to make him conform, unless there is also a strong flavour of martyrdom roughly his attitude which is shown in an early fantasy in which Stephen identifies himself with the Irish politico Charles Parnell. We are also reminded of this throughout the book when we remember that Joyce chose the name Stephen to dude him with Stephen the first Christian martyr.The first authorities Stephen encounters are father, mother, Dante, and Uncle Charles. He associates his mother with a nice smell, and his relationship with her might be described as one of artistic response she plays the piano and he dances.