The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young...

The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man provides an introspective exploration of an Irish Catholic upbringing. To provide the reader with a proper interpretation, Joyce permeates the story with vivid imagery and a variety of linguistic devices. This paper will provide an in-depth of analysis of the work by examining its key elements. The central theme of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is Stephen Dedalus alienation and separation from his trinity of family, country and religion. Stephens separation from his family is evident when he literally flees from his father by walking rapidly lest his fathers shrill whistle might call him back.†¦show more content†¦Does a tiny particle of consecrated bread contain all the body and blood of Jesus Christ or a part only of the body and blood?... Further alienation is added when Stephen is unfairly punished by Father Dolan for accidentally breaking his glasses. An indirect reference to Stephens difference with his Catholic beliefs is found in his admiration of the poet Byron, who his companions consider a heretic. Also, Mr. Tate, the English master, criticizes Stephen for having heresy in his essay. As an artist, Stephen views the world objectively and questions established church doctrines. Several subsidiary themes exist to assist in explaining the character and maturation of Stephen Dedalus. Two of these themes are Stephens weakness and the lack of a true father for him. When compared with regular children, Stephens artistic aptness is contrasted with his physical ineptitude. When playing football, he describes himself as small and weak amid [the others], and his eyes were weak and weary. Later while discussing politics among his family, he again feels small and weak. During Stephens childhood he is consistently deficient of a stern and just fatherly figure. At home his father never gives him valuable advice, except for the prosaic warning never to tattle on friends. Stephen also feels betrayed when he overhears his father talking in jest about his triumph over FatherShow MoreRelatedImagery Pattern of Clouds in the Portrait of an Artist by James Joyce 941 Words   |  4 Pages The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce is widely recognized by New Critics as one of the greatest novels of its age for its aesthetic artistry. 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