A Portrait Of An An Artist As — страница 2

each male is strikingly similar. Each attended the same schools, underwent the same mental development, and grew strongly attached to their artistic interests. However many differences between their lives, it is obvious that Joyce drew upon his own life when he created this work. Although Joyce was more of an athlete, more extroverted, and regarded his peers as equals or superiors, Stephen’s life parallels his with a vast deal of similitude. The personalities of Joyces’ friends were changed, as were the academic honors he was given, yet the fact still remains that the life of Stephen Dedalus and James Joyce are intertwined to a great extent. On the whole, this novel was an obvious work of great literary skill. The mastery with which it was written, and the questions it turns

up in the reader’s own mind, affirm the classic nature of Joyce’s writing. The times at which the story line is difficult to follow are more than compensated for by the deep meaning of this portrayal. The life of Stephen represents the life of Joyce, and all his struggles to become whom he felt that he was meant to. It symbolizes an endeavor that everyone should take to heart; when onebelieves in something for themselves, one should attempt to achieve their goals no matter the difficulties that they must overcome. The literary value of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is quite great. The genius with which it was written is expressed in that it demands that the reader think. If the reader does not ponder the work, its immeasurable importance is lost. James Joyce’s

purpose in writing this piece of literature, seems to be in telling the story of his own struggles and all of the hardships he was forced to live through. The great poverty that his family had to endure, in addition to the academic and philosophical demands that he put himself through, all contributed to his life and to this novel. The book is described by many as both a novel about an artist and a novel about development and education. It portrays the life of an artist, yet is only one interpretation of the artist’s life. The very title of the work, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, brings this point across. The book is just that, a portrait, and something whose interpretation is left up to the artist and the viewer. The novel relates the physical and emotional growth

that its protagonist Stephen Dedalus undergoes. Again, the title expresses this fact when it refers to Stephen as a young man. Although he is physically a young adult (he is sixteen years old when he commits the sin of having relations with a prostitute), he is still a mental child. Much growth is still necessary for Stephen to truly become an adult. Even in the concluding pages of the work, Stephen still regards himself as superior to others, and as being more important in his theories on life. James Joyce utilizes these aspects to allow the reader to believe what they may after reading his work. The theme of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is one that is close to both the novel’s main character and to its author. As a work of autobiographical fiction, this novel was

written with the feelings and values of the author at its center. The belief that one must strive for anything and everything that they believe in, no matter the opposition, is the central idea that this work is based upon. Both Stephen and Joyce rebelled against the traditional religious values that each was brought up with, as well as the importance of a strong family. As young men who had completed their schooling, Stephen and Joyce moved away to pursue their artistic and creative talents, despite the fact that it meant departing from much of what they had always believed in. This idea is one that can be heeded by all who share unorthodox views. Despite the conflicts on may encounter, the distress one might feel during difficult times, individuals should put their feelings

ahead of those who may strive to quash their unpopular convictions. No individual or group should be allowed to change someone else’s values because they are unpopular.