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Example research essay topic: Artist As A Young Man Life To Its Fullest - 2,268 words

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... in what he believed in. Every little thing Joyce encountered affected his writing and he made his writing to what he thought was perfect. The novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an autobiography of James Joyce who delivers the influential aspects in his life and his artistic development to the reader through the eyes of the fictional character of Stephen Deals. In the novel, Stephens journey to maturation and to become an artist is influenced by his religion, sexuality and education. Yet, Stephen is able to overcome the obstacles result from these aspects and experience his life to its fullest.

In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the author James Joyce uses the development of Stephen from a sensitive child to a rebellious young man to develop the plot of the novel. In this novel, Joyce suggests that through Stephens experiences is religion, sexuality and education, Stephen not only becomes more mature but these experiences also inspire him to redefine his world and his understanding of his true feelings about art. Religion, besides the practical need for food and shelter is one of the most powerful drives in Stephens life. Religion serves as Stephens guidance and savior yet it is also responsible for his tormented youth and distracting him from his artistic development. As a child growing up in a strict Catholic family, Stephen is raised to be a good Catholic boy who will follow the teaching of Catholicism as his guidance in his life. The severity of his family is shown when his mother tells him either to apologize (4) or the eagles will come and pull out his eyes (4).

Stephen is taught by his mother to be tolerant when she [tells] him not to speak with the rough boys in the college (5). Similarly, Stephens father also taught him a Catholic quality by telling Stephen never to peach on a fellow (6). Evidence of Stephen following the never to peach (6) quality is shown when Stephen agrees not to tell on Wells for pushing him into a ditch. However, as Stephen matures into his adolescence, religion becomes his savior rather than his guidance. As Stephens family condition declines, he sees priesthood as a way to escape poverty and shame. In fact, priesthood is an opportunity for Stephens personal gain of secret knowledge and secret power (172).

In terms of artistic development, Stephen is bounded by his religious beliefs, which causes him frustration during his adolescence. Stephen has been raised to idolize the Blessed Virgin (35) and to view women as holy and pure. On the other hand, as his sexual urge grows stronger, he receives a totally different view of women. And as a result of this difference, frustration grows and it distracts Stephen from creating art. By illustrating how religion affects life from his childhood to adolescence, Joyce has shown the reader that religion offers both positive and negative effects on Stephens life. Like religion, sexuality is also a fundamental part of Stephens life, Stephens early exposures to both homosexuality and heterosexuality excites him and inspires him to imagine and to create.

While sexuality offers positive influence on Stephens artistic development, sexuality clashes with his religion causing internal conflicts and frustration that manifest themselves into moral dilemmas. Stephens first encounter with heterosexuality occurs when Eileen is introduced in the novel. Eileen is not only Stephens playmate, she is indeed his future bride as it is suggested, when they [are] grown up he [is] going to marry [her] (4). As a shy boy who hid under the table (4), the romance between Stephen and Eileen is childishly innocent. However as Stephen grows, this childish romance transforms into sexual romance. Stephens attitude and view toward Eileen change as he and Eileen begin to have physical contact.

Stephen is increasingly aware of his sexuality as he understands Eileen [is] a girl (43). Furthermore, he associates Eileen's characteristics such as long thin cool white hands (43), and fair hair (43) to those of the Blessed Virgin (35). Continuously, sexuality promotes Stephens artistic development by inspiring him to imagine beyond the realistic world. Yet, this development is limited by his Catholic view of woman.

From reading The Count of Monte Cristo (64), Stephen begins to imagine the female figure Mercedes as his savior who will [transfigure] (67) him and rescue him from his plain life by offering a long train of adventures (65). While he remains the same person that he was, his viewpoint on life, and love, has fundamentally changed. It is no longer that we understand Stephen to be a devout Catholic, but rather we see that he cared little that he was in mortal sin, that his life had grown to be a tissue of subterfuge and falsehood (69). Stephen gives up on the things that were once held in high regard as he no longer prays, no longer does personal devotions, and no longer reveres the Virgin Mary as he has forever changed his perfect image of her as well as all femininity. Before this time Stephens viewpoint of women was so perfectly pure and innocent as it was derived from the way in which he looked upon the Virgin Mary; however, no longer is he able to think about women in the same way as he readily turns to prostitutes to satisfy his sexual urges. Even though thoughts of turning away from this life style of sin often take control of his mind, we go along with Stephen as he continues to return to the prostitutes and travels deeper and deeper into his sins.

It is not long, however, until he experiences change once again. Although it is a slightly harder change to take place, through the horrific descriptions and forceful influences of the sermons that he hears throughout the retreat, Stephen begins to realize that he must once again turn from this life style that he has adapted. Change occurs once again, though this time it is not so willingly done, but more so motivated by his fear of losing his soul to Hell. However, Stephen does indeed leave the life of sin and lust as he confesses his sins to a priest and instills in himself a new passion for religion.

Once again we see a wholehearted change of focus within Stephen as he has left the old self behind in order that he may follow in the direction of religion once more. This time Stephen took religion to a much deeper level, as well as a much more personal one. He becomes very pious and strict with himself. He establishes harsh rules for himself to follow in order that he would not fall back into sin and carries with him rosary beads at all times.

Although Steven throughout his life has been a member of the Catholic church, this is the first time that we find him being truly devoted to leading a pious life, and I would argue that this is the first time we really see Stephen as truly accepting the faith as his own. All through his life he was influenced by his mothers desire for him to be a member of the church as well as in his schooling experiences. With such a life being pushed upon him and surrounding completely surrounding him, it is no wonder that this is the life which he leads early on, though I believe it was not truly the life he desired to live, and still is not the life he is seeking even now. This point becomes evident through two encounters in the story: first when Stephen comes to the realization that he must not become a priest because this passion for religion is keeping him from experiencing life the way that he was supposed to, and secondly when he encounters the girl on the beach. Stephen begins to exhibit the characteristics of an artist when he begins to imagine.

However, his imagination is limited by his religious beliefs as he associates the characteristics of Mercedes with those of the Blessed Virgin (35). Stephens encounter with Emma inspires him to create a poem based on their romantic encounter. However, this encounter turns into a moral dilemma when his religious beliefs of women clash with his growing sexual urge. Catholicism makes Stephen believe that women are holy and are not to be defiled.

However, when Emma flirts with him by [urging] his vanities (72), rather than rejecting her, he feels the urge to hold her and kiss her (73). Finally, Stephens visit to the prostitute marks a major step in his maturation process. Stephen, by succumbing to lust (113) and fall [from] God's holy grace into grievous sin (118), becomes strong and fearless and sure of himself (107) because he feels experiencing life to its fullest is more important that condemnation. Stephen also encounters homosexuality and his first experience occurs when he is informed about some fellows [being] caught smuggling (42). Not knowing smuggling (42) is a form of amorous homosexual behavior (288), Stephen ignorantly asks, What did that mean about the smuggling in the square? (42). Stephen learns the severe punishment for smuggling (42) and realizes it is improper.

But he does not truly understand why the fellows caught are being punished because he does not realize homosexuality is an abomination that is condemned in the Bible. Ironically, later in the novel, Stephen un conscientiously displays traces of homosexual characteristic. This is evidenced as Stephen observes Brother Michaels body while he is[bending] down (21). Furthermore, Stephens description of Brother Michaels long back [as] a tram horse (21) supports the suggestion of Stephen displaying homosexual characteristic.

By examining the influences sexuality has on Stephens maturation process, Joyce has demonstrated to the reader that Stephens understanding of his sexuality will eventually transform him into an artist. Ostensibly, education offers theoretical knowledge for Stephen yet as he grows to become more individualistic, education also offers changes to Stephens views, faith in religion and his need for companion. Stephen receives both formal and informal education throughout his childhood and adolescence. And as a child, Stephen receives informal education at home from his relatives. The knowledge Stephen gains from home not only influences his views on his surrounding environment yet it offers him his first glimpse into politics. Stephen is amazed when Dante taught him where the Mozambique Channel was and what was the longest river in America and what was the name of the lightest mountain in the moon (7).

He finds these geographic features fascinating because it is his first experience with the outside world and by knowing some features of other country; he begins to image what the outside world looks like. By illustrating Stephens interest in geography, Joyce foreshadows Stephens later departure to Europe. It is at dinner table that Stephen quietly observes and learns what politics [mean] (14). From the argument between Stephens father, Mr. Casey, and Dante over the Parnell and Catholic church incident, Stephen learns politics when he claims: They were arguing at home about that. That was called politics.

There were two sides in it: Dante was on one side and his father and Mr. Casey were on the other side but his mother and uncle Charles were on no side. Every day there was something in the paper about it. It pained him that he did not know well what politics meant (13 - 14) Stephens faith in religion is challenged while at Clongowes (12) receiving formal education.

Stephen has been raised to be a devoted Catholic boy who is not supposed to criticize the authority of the church. Yet when he suffers from the unfair and cruel (53) punishment, he challenges the authority of the church by complaining to the rector. As Stephen grows older, he has greater exposures to literature and especially aesthetic theories of Aristotle [and] Aquinas (190) and his sense of isolation begins to develop. As Stephen develops his own theory of aesthetic, he begins to distance himself from his family, religion, and his friends. He suggests his need of isolation when he says: I may learn in my own life and away from home and friends what the heart is and what it feels (275).

Furthermore, Stephen reveals his plan to leave Ireland as an attempt to try to express [himself] in some mode of life or art as freely as [he] can and as wholly as [he] can, using for [his] defense the only arms [he] allow [himself] to use - silence, exile, and cunning (226 - 269). By discussing how education affects Stephen from a child to a young man, Joyce has shown the reader Stephens development as an artist and human being. Bibliography: Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. 1916.

New York: Penguin, 1993. Levin, Harry. James Joyce, Norfolk, Connecticut: New Direction Publishing Company, 1960. Ellmann, Richard.

The Consciousness of Joyce, New York: Oxford University Press, 1978. Garvin, John. James Joyce Disrupted Kingdom, Dublin, Ireland: Harper and Row Publishing Inc. , 1976. Brunsdale, Mail.

James Joyce A study of the Short Fiction, New York: Twayne Publishing, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1982. Benitudh, Bernard. James Joyce, New York, Fredrick Unger Publishing Company, 1985. Anderson, Chester. James Joyce and His World, New York: Viking Press, 1968.

Rice, Jackson. James Joyce a Guide to Research, New York: Garland Publishing, 1982. Church, Margaret. Structure and Themes to James Joyce, Columbus, Ohio: Ohio St. University, 1983.

Harper, Nathan. The Early James Joyce, New York: Columbia University Press, 1973. Kiely, Robert. Beyond Egotism: James Joyce, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1980


Free research essays on topics related to: authority of the church, portrait of the artist, life to its fullest, artist as a young man, james joyce

Research essay sample on Artist As A Young Man Life To Its Fullest

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