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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
In which, James Joyce describes life growing up as a Catholic schoolboy. A book of uneven quality and readability - one or two chapters of personal anecdotes about how gloomy he is, followed by a lengthy sermon on the nature of Hell, followed by some more personal stories, apparently from the POV of him as 'no longer a young man'. Overall, more an exploration of Catholicism than of James Joyce's life. And, as a sidenote, that's a bit of a false title - more like 'A portrait of the Artist, who used to be a young man'.
via NYPL - I've only read a chapter, may attempt more and my opinion my evolve if I come back to it, but I find it a long-winded conversation about nothing. There are some very nice turns-of-phrase in it though.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Rereading Joyce for the first time in 30+ years, in conjunction with the 100th Anniversary of the publication of "Ulysses".
Read the Oxford World Classics edition. Joyce scholar Jeri Johnson has a worthwhile Intro, with some interesting ideas about the novel. The Notes are largely Don Gifford's, with some editing down. Used Gifford's "Joyce Annotated" as well, which covers this and "Dubliners". Some interesting details included there which are not included in Johnson's notes. Also, he reprints the complete poems, or larger extracts, than she does from literary works Joyce quotes within the text of the novel.
A reminder that this is/is not Joyce's life. That it is him writing about his teens/a teenager when he was in his late 20's ansd early 30's.
I kind of feel for any non-Catholic (or ex-Catholic, like myself) who has to churn their way through this. And, keep in mind that the literary "theory" is the ideas of a teenager. Think back to your own ideas on life and art at that age.
I found the middle of the novel, with the brimstone sermons and teenage literary theory, to be a chore to make it through. But found the beginning and end of the novel to be exciting, as we see the early and later development of his personality and thought. Also, there is more dialog between Stephen and other characters, rather than just his own inner th0ughts - so the reading moves along quicker.
Prefer "Dubliners", but this is a movement from that more realistic collection towards the experimentation of "Ulysses". Looking forward to reading "Stephen Hero" to compare the 2, and also his brother Stanislaus' memoir of the period when Joyce was writing this, and looking for a publisher.
Read the Oxford World Classics edition. Joyce scholar Jeri Johnson has a worthwhile Intro, with some interesting ideas about the novel. The Notes are largely Don Gifford's, with some editing down. Used Gifford's "Joyce Annotated" as well, which covers this and "Dubliners". Some interesting details included there which are not included in Johnson's notes. Also, he reprints the complete poems, or larger extracts, than she does from literary works Joyce quotes within the text of the novel.
A reminder that this is/is not Joyce's life. That it is him writing about his teens/a teenager when he was in his late 20's ansd early 30's.
I kind of feel for any non-Catholic (or ex-Catholic, like myself) who has to churn their way through this. And, keep in mind that the literary "theory" is the ideas of a teenager. Think back to your own ideas on life and art at that age.
I found the middle of the novel, with the brimstone sermons and teenage literary theory, to be a chore to make it through. But found the beginning and end of the novel to be exciting, as we see the early and later development of his personality and thought. Also, there is more dialog between Stephen and other characters, rather than just his own inner th0ughts - so the reading moves along quicker.
Prefer "Dubliners", but this is a movement from that more realistic collection towards the experimentation of "Ulysses". Looking forward to reading "Stephen Hero" to compare the 2, and also his brother Stanislaus' memoir of the period when Joyce was writing this, and looking for a publisher.
lighthearted
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:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1.25 IM FREEEEE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY FUCKING LIFE
Por dios que EMBOLEEE no había un solo hilo conductor ademas del prota creciendo, eran todas escenas random y sin sentido que el 80% de las veces no aportaban nada. En los capitulos 3 y 4 cuando habia paginas y paginas y paginas y paginas de predicacion religiosa y dsps en 5 q era stephen soltando peroratas de ideas a lo platon (pero mas fallido y menos coherente) juro que pense en tirarme por la ventana o sea 1. a nadie le importaba 2. era relleno puro y duro.
Está buena la idea de q cuanto mas creces, mas crece tu vocabulario, pero el autor (del que dudo leer algo mas a menos que sea forzada a ello) podria haberlo hecho un poco mejor x diosss
Aburridísimo, el punto se hubiese entendido igual en un cuento sin hacerme sufrir x dias enteros.
Por dios que EMBOLEEE no había un solo hilo conductor ademas del prota creciendo, eran todas escenas random y sin sentido que el 80% de las veces no aportaban nada. En los capitulos 3 y 4 cuando habia paginas y paginas y paginas y paginas de predicacion religiosa y dsps en 5 q era stephen soltando peroratas de ideas a lo platon (pero mas fallido y menos coherente) juro que pense en tirarme por la ventana o sea 1. a nadie le importaba 2. era relleno puro y duro.
Está buena la idea de q cuanto mas creces, mas crece tu vocabulario, pero el autor (del que dudo leer algo mas a menos que sea forzada a ello) podria haberlo hecho un poco mejor x diosss
Aburridísimo, el punto se hubiese entendido igual en un cuento sin hacerme sufrir x dias enteros.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Why did James Joyce inflict this tortuous prose on the world? Why? WHY?