A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (Unabridged)

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Summary: joyce's writes an masterpiece of irish literature
Review: James Joyce writes a beutifull semi-autobiographical story about Stephen Dedalus; an Irish boy uninterested in his country's political situation, struggling with the religious beliefs imposed on him and the horror of a potential hell, and the urge to be an artist and release himself from the redundant thoughts of his peers. The life of Stephen is traced from his early chilhood through boarding school and college. Joyce's next book Ulysses picks up some years after Portait left off. Throughout the book the theme of isolation remains prevalent as Stephen is unconnected with all his surroundings; his father is part of a past generation betrayed by a country he is so passionate about. Stephen, in a constant of inner struggle must determine whether he will (like the ancient myth of Icarus and Dedalus) soar high into the sky and be burned by the sun or reach shore safely. The book is drenched in imagery of flight and the artistic philosophies of Joyce are often dislplayed through Stephen's conversations with his peers or teachers. Portrait of an Artist as a young man is a wonderful book tracing a boy's journey to self-discovery and the final surrender to his artistic passion.

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Summary: THIS was voted third best novel of the 20th century??
Review: The temptation is too great; I cannot resist this opportunity to denigrate the worst novel I’ve read--very nearly completed. For me, this was not quite a Literature class force-feed novels, albeit close to one. I *thought* that it was to be required reading for AP British Lit, and being the atypical student that I am, likes to get a head start on things. . .

James Joyce in general and this quasi-autobiographical novel in particular are horribly overrated. If you prefer novels that have at least a verisimilitude of plot, do not read Portrait. It is nothing more than stream-of-consciousness ramblings that go on and on to nowhere--or at least to nowhere that makes the reader the least bit desirous to read further. I suppose that the intent of this literary atrocity--er...technique--is to elucidate the psyche of Stephen Dedalus, but it even fails to do this well. (Returning to the topic of British Lit force-feed material, the last novel I read for that class, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, maintains a story-line AND limns three characters more fully than Portrait characterizes its one protagonist. I present this example only to suggest Joyce’s relative ineptitude and to substantiate my capability to indeed connect to literature, even outside of my preferred genre--just not in the case of Portrait.) If any analects able to evoke a response from the reader can be extracted from the utter blandness, they are found in the fire-and-brimstone preaching which comprises page after page after--hey, Dedalus and Joyce’s childhoods may have contained much more than mine, but they’re still not enough to fill a novel!

I think that I found a solecism in one of the Latin quotations, but I do not remember what it was.

If you’re one of those psychopaths who find all interior-monologue insightful, read Portrait. If you like your novels pointless and plotless, read Portrait. If you need a soporific, read Portrait. Otherwise, no.

I am fortunate that this did not turn out to be required reading, for writing an analytical essay on such an insipid novel would be even more torturous than reading it; in fact, it would be a lot worse than the one the aforementioned sermon luridly explains.

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Summary: Only A Fool Wouldn't Read THis
Review: Only a fool wouldn't read this ... Joyce is the epitome of pedagogical writers. THe story is presented as the development of a youth through looking upon a past seen as a series of presents ... a marvelous literary innovation. Anyone with interest in philosophy, particularly aesthetics, or rebellion against the established norm will enjoy this. A great way to begin a relationship with philosophy too. be sure to complement your reading with some literary criticism from which his genius and ideas will show. THis book is one of those few where every page is a treasure ... it just takes time and going back over your favorite parts to get good footing. Interestingly enough, it has been said that through the 3,000 pages joyce wrote (that includes his other works), he never made a grammatical mistake. Well, a great book for people who are way too literary, and people seeking some great inspiration. contact: [e-mail]

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Summary: A James Joyce You Can Actually Understand
Review: The first thing I'll say is that I am so happy this book is written in coherent English for the most part (there's an abundance of Latin as well). With 'Ulysses' and 'Finnegan's Wake,' man, have you ever got to work to make sense out of what you're reading! I don't mind the work, but it's hard going and takes much time- time that I don't have right now. So, until that day when I do have time, I'll have to content myself with 'Portrait...' I don't know about most readers, but Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel reminded me of 'Of Human Bondage' in many ways. You know, guy comes from religious background; he's shy, broody, and inclined to a love of words; there are 'moments' when he begins to appreciate the aesthetic; there's talk of hell and the protagonist worrying about being a sinner if he falls away from the church...and so on. So if anyone out there found 'Portrait' difficult, try 'Of Human Bondage'....ya might find that it's your cup of tea. To abuse a word, for me, 'Portrait...' is a book of 'moments'. There are scenes that are brilliant, almost magical; and then there are scenes that border on the pretentious. Overall, it is worth reading, because these moments are worth the fodder you have to read through to get to them.

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Summary: Getting to know Joyce
Review: "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" is an autobiographical novel covering the first twenty or so years of James Joyce's life, and as the title implies, it is about his awakening to the desire to become an artist. Joyce writes in the third person as Stephen Dedalus, the oldest child in a large family with a father who is prosperous but unfocused at making a living.

The novel begins with Stephen's earliest memories of his parents telling him silly stories as a baby. Then the narration cuts quickly to his years at a Jesuit boarding school where he finds that he is extraordinarily conscientious and sensitive to his tangible surroundings: colors, objects, and words. The priests who teach at the school are rigid taskmasters and disciplinarians, and Joyce vividly depicts the (undeserved) punishment Stephen must endure when he is caught idle at his lessons.

The rigorous religious atmosphere of the Jesuit schools is stifling to Stephen's developing aesthetic sensibilities. At the day school where he spends his early teenage years, the priests fill the students' heads with terrifying (and ridiculous) visions of hell, and Stephen endeavors to become more devout, dispel impure thoughts, and save himself from an eternity of torment in a lake of fire.

Stephen's religious devotion impresses the priests at his school so much that they recommend he consider joining the order. He consents to this idea at first, but one day he has an epiphany: watching birds in the sky, he realizes an incredible freedom that is available to him -- a freedom of creation, invention, symbolized by his namesake in Greek mythology. He skips the priesthood and attends a university where he becomes an intellectual, pontificating on the meaning of art and beauty and writing sorrowful poetry about a girl who is the object of his desire.

Contrary to the reputation that "Ulysses" and "Finnegan's Wake" have, "A Portrait..." is really not difficult to read, nor is it without humor. The narration is straightforward, and it presents the process of becoming a self-aware artist with surprising clarity, poignancy, and realism.

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Summary: Motifs a plenty, but not much else.
Review: Plowed through this book for English Class. We (*I write this with others from my class) liked the opening, where the Moocow appears. Sadly, it appears the Moocow was a oneshot character, and once it exits the novel on page two, things go downhill and never recover until they hit about ten miles below the equator. Full of symbolism; but that doens't mean much. We gave it two stars; one for the Moocow, and one for the amusingly long title our poor English teacher was forced to write on the board each day.

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Summary: VERY hard to put down!
Review: I think "A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man" was one of the best books I've read. You start reading it and get addicted. If you haven't heard of James Joyce and are interested in his work, then I strongly reccomend this, but you must have an open mind. I read this when I was 13 and James Joyce now has become one of my favorite authors.

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Summary: Perpetuating the sterotype of "Great" Literature
Review: I think Nora Joyce said it best when she asked "Why don't you write books people can read?"

This book is undoubtably a well written work containing a great deal of symbolism and what not on "important" subjects. It is also the type of book that people point to when you ask them why they don't read the classics, prefering to read lighter works or not at all. They find it dense, obtuse, and a chore.

After having to plow through this work for an AP English class, I find it hard to blame them. The "story" is written in the stream of consiousness style, which seems to mean that author feels free to jump from one subject to another, with no concern as to whether it makes any sense what-so-ever to the reader. After finishing the book, I'm not even sure it was ever intended to be read, so much as to have been written.

If you looking for a good book, give this "great" work a pass.

And a note to any students reading this, if your teacher has you look for the "shocking" word in part 3 (or 4, I forget) its "feotus."

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Summary: A young man: sure; A portrait: maybe; An artist: no way!
Review: Listen to your professors. They'll tell, this is a book written by someone that they consider as one of the three or four greatest writers of the twentieth century. If they would be more accurate it would be: a book by a writer, that wrote a book that may be considered among the most provocative of the twentieth century. Provocative to thoughts, adoration, cultism, dislike, disgust etc. etc. But whatever you can say about "a portrait", Ulysses it's not. In addition it takes a truly artistic imagination to see "a portrait" as any type of precursor to Ulysses. My problem with "a portrait" is that most in it had been done before, and often in a better way. I know that if you share Joyce's cultural, political and religious background, and deal with those "inputs" in a similar way as the writer, you may have no greater hero. As such, "a portrait" could be considered as the first major chapter in the history of your hero. Lacking his background, "a portrait" failed to create any type of resonance in me, even after a careful rereading. Compare for example with the picture that Louis Ferdinand Celine- I don't share his background either- paints of his childhood in "the Journey..." and "Dead...". That's literature, written art: it turns the individual emotion into a general one. Okay, many Joyce lovers will say, but read this line, this passage, this page that is only a small step from.... Maybe, but what may be a small step for you, may be a giant step for mankind. Finally, a small advice for the like-minded reader. It maybe tomorrow, a week from now, a year from now, who knows. You'll walk into that devout Joyce follower, that tries to convince you that there is something wrong with not only your taste, but with your brain in general. Don't worry, just think back and try to remember that "60 minutes" issue a few years ago about the scene of accepted modern art in New York City. I, at least, can still remember that look in Morley Safer's face when that older lady with the 9-figure bank account went into a state of rapture upon seeing an artwork consisting of a urinal not hooked up to water or sewer line (the magic was in this none-hook-up). Morley was right when he brought up the "Emperor's new clothes". And this may be at the center of the cult surrounding "a portrait", it may provide a sounding-board for those lacking the ability to put their own thoughts/feelings/life in order on their own. This may proof the significance of this book as the father of all self-help books. But a great read, or great literature, I am afraid not.

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Summary: Portrait of the Artist As a Convoluted Writer
Review: If you were to dissect this book line by line and write essays upon essays about its themes and symbolism, this could be a very good book. If you are the type of person that enjoys pondering every aspect, every page, and every word - this could be right up your alley. If, however, you enjoy reading for the sake of reading, skip this book.

It's almost as if Joyce took pains to confuse and annoy the reader. Though filled with good chunks of reading, the sentence structure is very awkward, and the progression of the book is disjoint and puzzling at times. Joyce will capture you with some aspect of the main character's childhood, and then switch to an extremely boring dialogue about philosophy.

I truly understand what Joyce was trying to convey, and is the reason why it's two stars. The themes of religion, politics, sex, and money all come in to play, and affect the main character as he moves from childhood, to adolescence, then to his teen years. If this message was delivered in an easier package, I might have really enjoyed this book.

Basically, if I were to write in the same style as Joyce, I would be fired from my job right on the spot.