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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Don't see the hype. Wordy. There is a great sermon smack dab in the middle of the book... It's chapter 3. I give chapter 3 five stars.
The writing is beautiful and of its time. A understanding of Latin and a broad understanding of some theology are a help.
The story of Joyce growing up and his struggle with in him and how this changes overtime. This is not really a book that i enjoyed but being raised Catholic there was a lot i could actual relate to. I think some people might find page after page of a priest spewing Dogma a total turn off. There is no real story other than the thoughts and deeds (mostly very dull) of a young man.
Some will love this many will hate it.
The story of Joyce growing up and his struggle with in him and how this changes overtime. This is not really a book that i enjoyed but being raised Catholic there was a lot i could actual relate to. I think some people might find page after page of a priest spewing Dogma a total turn off. There is no real story other than the thoughts and deeds (mostly very dull) of a young man.
Some will love this many will hate it.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
7/10.
The pros: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is widely known as a controversial, experimental novel. It is semi-autobiographical; the protagonist is said to be Joyce's literary alter-ego. The use of discourse and narrative style in the novel are innovative and different to what is expected in the majority of novels. As a modernist text, Portrait focuses a great deal on the inner thoughts of the main character and the way he perceives the world, and Joyce uses several different methods in order to create this unique and fascinating novel.
The book is not strictly chronological; often switching to events in the past, scenes occasionally dissolving into Stephen's thoughts. It's majorly written using the stream of consciousness technique and interior monologue. Something I particularly enjoyed about the novel is his use of metaphor and themes throughout. The name Dedalus refers to the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Stephen too is trapped in a 'labyrinth' - Dublin, and the compressing religion and rules that accompany the city - and longs to 'fly away'. He creates wings for himself in the form of art, and leaves Ireland in order to pursue this dream. He is parallel to the character of Daedalus as he was an inventor, an artistic mind - but Stephen also has the pride of Icarus, which led to his downfall in the myth. The novel contains many references to birds and flight.
The cons: It's obviously not without its faults. You might hate the way the protagonist sees the world, or you might hate the method used to write this book, but when I read it - 9 years ago now, but I kept all of my notes from when I studied it - I did overall enjoy it. I do think a reread is necessary to study certain things that I am much more educated about now, for example how this book treats women and minorities, because I truly don't remember.
The conclusion: 'When the soul of a man is born in this country there are nets flung at it to hold it back from flight. You talk to me of nationality, language, religion. I shall try to fly by those nets.'
I found this to give the novel an overall almost inspirational message, though it is open-ended. It can be interpreted however the reader wishes.
The pros: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is widely known as a controversial, experimental novel. It is semi-autobiographical; the protagonist is said to be Joyce's literary alter-ego. The use of discourse and narrative style in the novel are innovative and different to what is expected in the majority of novels. As a modernist text, Portrait focuses a great deal on the inner thoughts of the main character and the way he perceives the world, and Joyce uses several different methods in order to create this unique and fascinating novel.
The book is not strictly chronological; often switching to events in the past, scenes occasionally dissolving into Stephen's thoughts. It's majorly written using the stream of consciousness technique and interior monologue. Something I particularly enjoyed about the novel is his use of metaphor and themes throughout. The name Dedalus refers to the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Stephen too is trapped in a 'labyrinth' - Dublin, and the compressing religion and rules that accompany the city - and longs to 'fly away'. He creates wings for himself in the form of art, and leaves Ireland in order to pursue this dream. He is parallel to the character of Daedalus as he was an inventor, an artistic mind - but Stephen also has the pride of Icarus, which led to his downfall in the myth. The novel contains many references to birds and flight.
The cons: It's obviously not without its faults. You might hate the way the protagonist sees the world, or you might hate the method used to write this book, but when I read it - 9 years ago now, but I kept all of my notes from when I studied it - I did overall enjoy it. I do think a reread is necessary to study certain things that I am much more educated about now, for example how this book treats women and minorities, because I truly don't remember.
The conclusion: 'When the soul of a man is born in this country there are nets flung at it to hold it back from flight. You talk to me of nationality, language, religion. I shall try to fly by those nets.'
I found this to give the novel an overall almost inspirational message, though it is open-ended. It can be interpreted however the reader wishes.
Joyce's work is rich in vocabulary and musicality, much like Ireland itself, but at the same time it's quite complex and, at times, difficult to follow - I would advise keeping up with the Sparknotes analysis for a better understanding of the novel. However, at its core, this is a story about breaking the chain, the unending thirst for knowledge and not following the preconceived path which so often is thrust upon us; it is said to be a mirror of Joyce's own life, which makes one think that the "good fight" one faces from birth to death has been around for centuries now, and so shall be for the centuries to come, but ultimately, one is in control of oneself. Worth a read.
Oh my god guys JOYCE. This is genuinely one of the best books I've read so far this year. Not really a plot driven novel but more a character study of the young Stephen Dedalus and his journey through his teen years. While some aspects of this novel may be difficult to understand if you don't have just a little knowledge of Irish history (names like Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Davitt, and Wolfe Tone are mentioned quite a lot), I feel like that doesn't effect the enjoyment you can get from this novel. I particularly enjoyed the parts where Stephen and his father travelled to Cork (my local city) because I knew of all the places described and at one point Joyce even mentions my local train station (he also mentions a small village that is literally a ten minute drive from my house so that was odd but exciting) so those were fun little perks for me.
Joyce has this image of being some sort of monolithic, literary genius, which he is, but that image may put some people off his work. This isn't "Ulysses" or (thankfully) "Finnegans Wake", the prose of this novel is modernist but understandable and beautiful in every way. I feel the Joyce spark has been lit within me, I must read more! *eyes Ulysses on bookshelf* Hmmm, maybe some day my friend.
Joyce has this image of being some sort of monolithic, literary genius, which he is, but that image may put some people off his work. This isn't "Ulysses" or (thankfully) "Finnegans Wake", the prose of this novel is modernist but understandable and beautiful in every way. I feel the Joyce spark has been lit within me, I must read more! *eyes Ulysses on bookshelf* Hmmm, maybe some day my friend.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced