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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A beautiful portrayal of growing up while struggling with identity, religion, country, and the power of art.
My question is, would a classic like this be a classic if it were published today?
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
My first Joyce novel and it made me want to read more of him. I read this in an Irish Lit class and it helps to locate this novel in the context of Irish history at the time this was written. It can be difficult and is a novel you should spend time with. I learned to love the density of literary, biblical, and artistic allusions. Joyce is an expert at continuing literary traditions while also experimenting and breaking tradition when it fits to do so. The oscillation between concrete images of reality and magical streams of consciousness– Stephen's revelations– is wonderful and really grounds this work. Those revelations are some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read. An interesting look at how an artist develops.
This book is my first contact with Joyce, and I can't say I was displeased in the slightest by it.
James Joyce's style is so unique and full of references that almost every page has at least two references that need to be explained at the last pages of the book (at least in my edition of it).
It tells the story of Stephen Dedalus, beginning with his infancy and ending when he is a young man. Accordingly, the language of the book evolves, grows, and matures basically as the protagonist himself does so. The first chapter (from his first memories to when he was about 8 or ten of age) I didn't know what the hell was happening half of the time, because events follow each other with little to no indication of separation between them. Second chapter was better, and more accesible, and the third, fourth and fifth were better and better in this aspect. The fifth chapter was glorious, I really liked that it was implied that even though his goal was clear now, he needed to mature and experiment the ways of the world to become a true artist; I think that speaks a lot of that particular age, when you are 19 and you think you know stuff, and maybe you have some glimpses of some truths, but in reality there's still a lot that you don't know.
By the end I was recollecting my own febrile attempts at poetry and considering seriously to drop what I have in life and try to become an artist. Joyce really illustrates the doubts and the persona and the motivations of such people. It was great.
James Joyce's style is so unique and full of references that almost every page has at least two references that need to be explained at the last pages of the book (at least in my edition of it).
It tells the story of Stephen Dedalus, beginning with his infancy and ending when he is a young man. Accordingly, the language of the book evolves, grows, and matures basically as the protagonist himself does so. The first chapter (from his first memories to when he was about 8 or ten of age) I didn't know what the hell was happening half of the time, because events follow each other with little to no indication of separation between them. Second chapter was better, and more accesible, and the third, fourth and fifth were better and better in this aspect. The fifth chapter was glorious, I really liked that it was implied that even though his goal was clear now, he needed to mature and experiment the ways of the world to become a true artist; I think that speaks a lot of that particular age, when you are 19 and you think you know stuff, and maybe you have some glimpses of some truths, but in reality there's still a lot that you don't know.
By the end I was recollecting my own febrile attempts at poetry and considering seriously to drop what I have in life and try to become an artist. Joyce really illustrates the doubts and the persona and the motivations of such people. It was great.
I found this book to be DULL. It does have it's historical and religious merits though. It's about a Catholic teen in Ireland, end of the 18th century, who goes off to a boarding school. He fornicates with a prostitute and continues to do so for a bit while internally struggling with his religious values. This goes on for Several pages.
Stephen comes upon a sermon that triggers him to change his way and lead a pious life so much so that the headmaster asks him to become a priest whereby he realizes that he is an artist at heart. The story then takes him to college, where he further strengthens his beliefs that he has to tear away from social restrictions and become an artist.
The last couple of pages are rushed and read like journal entries which I'm sure there are comments on style for this book...it would have read better had it all been journal entries.
Stephen comes upon a sermon that triggers him to change his way and lead a pious life so much so that the headmaster asks him to become a priest whereby he realizes that he is an artist at heart. The story then takes him to college, where he further strengthens his beliefs that he has to tear away from social restrictions and become an artist.
The last couple of pages are rushed and read like journal entries which I'm sure there are comments on style for this book...it would have read better had it all been journal entries.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
internet made me think i wouldn't understand this book at all or get anything valuable from it because i wasn't studying it at university/reading 5 other books first which explain its background etc.
turns out they were wrong. it's like demian by hermann hesse but also wildly different. will probably buy my own copy and read again in the next few years
turns out they were wrong. it's like demian by hermann hesse but also wildly different. will probably buy my own copy and read again in the next few years