Portrait Of An Artist Themes Essay

1567 words - 6 pages

1. In the various settings in the novel, each setting helps affect the characters and the plot. The national setting, Ireland, helps show how each person feels about their country. Some of the characters are apathetic while others are nationalists who want to change the way things are. Clongowes and Belvedere are two religious schools that Stephen attends. These two schools effect the way he reacts to religion and to people around him because they were both religious schools that required him to conform to their beliefs. It could not take place in England because of the economic and social circumstances that the characters have to go through. England is the country oppressing Ireland, which would make it difficult to have it take place there. It would be possible for it to be set in America during the American Revolution because there was a strong sense of patriotism during that time for many people. With a few changes, it is possible to change the setting from Ireland to America. The influences of the government and how they are treated shape the characters in the novel and how they react to specific problems.2. Joyce uses religious imagery and language throughout the novel in order to express the religious nature of Ireland and the different people that it effects. Stephen has many doubts of his religious faith because of various events in his life and in the country. Parnell, an Irish nationalist, attempts to help save Ireland, but fails to because of his sins. Father Dolan beats him with a pandybat even though he did not do anything wrong. People judge him constantly because he does not fully support them. All these reasons cause him to doubt his religion and causes him to want to be free of it. He cannot understand how religion causes so many problems when it is idealistically supposed to be good and beneficial to the people. This causes him to have many doubts about religion. Father Arnall's three sermons about the torments of hell cause him to become devoutly religious because of his experiences with the prostitute right before the three sermons and Father Arnall makes the sermon sound like it is directed towards him. He feels that his sinful nature was wrong and wants to be free of his sins. He is not satisfied with what he has done in the past and feels that he needs to change his ways in order to be understood and helped by others.3. Stephen's parents affect his character development in many ways. The various changes in schools, financial problems, and their beliefs cause him to have many different experiences and problems in his life. His father symbolizes the apathetic nature of Ireland and Stephen is annoyed with his father's beliefs and lifestyle. He does not like the fact that his father is very lazy, is a drunkard, and cannot save money for his family. Stephen's mother is very religious and wants Stephen to also be very religious. She does not have a major role in the book, but she shows that positives of religious faith for...

A Review Of "The Portrait Of An Artist As A Young Man", By James Joice. 778 Words

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1313 words - 5 pages that his country is no good for his art, seeing that his religion is no good for his heart, he forges a new life and religion for his own, fulfilling his destiny as an artist. Works Cited Beebe, Maurice. "The Artist as Hero." James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: Text, Criticism, and Notes. Ed. Chester G. Anderson. New York: Penguin, 1968. 340-57. Ellmann, Richard. "The Limits of Joyce's Naturalism

"A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man" This essay discusses certain elements of the novel that symbolizes the main character, Stephen Dedalus, to Joyce himself

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Imagery Pattern Of Clouds On Chapter 4 Of The Portrait Of An Artist By James Joyce

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