Module 5

Answer

1. • Portrait of an Artist: Chapter 1

     At the novel's opening, readers coincide with Stephen while he undergoes his initial fundamental perception of the environment surrounding him. Stephen is introduced as a "baby tuckoo," the midst of the world, one whom tales are narrated, and hymns are sung. The author allows the readers to perceive the world in the same perspective as Stephen through smells, sensations, and sounds. Even at his early stage, Stephen is seen to prefer his mum to his dad, and he is automatically knowledgeable of his nurse Dante's religious and political philosophies. Due to the "pull out his eyes," he also discovers that" Apologies theme, which any unforeseen, sincere eloquence of sentiment like his decision to marry Eileen will end in fast moral retaliation from the parents. Later, the community's censure will correlate Stephen's initial denunciation of his impulsive outbursts of artistic expressions and emotions. 

      Stephen's compassionate reaction to these censoring incidents shows the readers that he is different. Stephen feels distinctly derelict without comprehending why he will later encounter challenging moments of painful, complicated guilt. This incident reveals that Stephen recognizes himself in a hostile environment from which he is unlikely to evade, although he would prefer to. Similarly, this demonstrates that Steven suffers ridicule due to his uniqueness, small and weak boy who suffers painful homesickness and poor vision.  By liking his mother more than his father, this reveals that Steven finds more comfort when with his mother. Moreover, it shows how Stephen's emotions are real and how he is worried about his future. However, this reveals  Stephen is a sensitive, lonely boy who adores education and depends on the potential he draws from his prayers. 

     Portrait of an Artist: Chapter 2

     Chapter 2 centers on the conclusion of Stephen’s infancy and his commencement as a teenager. Stephen starts to appreciate a moderately lighthearted summertime with his parents and friends at Blackrock. However, his peace is later fragmented by his parents' fiscal bankruptcy and early adolescent emotional breakdown. In this chapter, Steven is still enjoying his childhood environmental activities, including running, playing, and portraying adventures. After the chapter, Stephen will have grown more irritable as he acquires more regarding adult life concerns.

     In this chapter, Stephen's emotions and thoughts change drastically due to the adolescent stage. Although the teenage stage is often considered a challenging development phase, Stephen’s challenges appear to be more intense due to his exaggerated sense of isolation, passionate philosophy, and spontaneous interest concerning all life perspectives. On the verge of maturity, Stephen decides to seek what defines him as a man. His character guide is his feeble father, who Stephen views as a careless, wastrel accountable for their family's enhancing poverty. In this chapter, Stephen's family relocates to Dublin, making Stephen develop painful humiliation and disappointment. 

     To evade their new environment's harsh conditions, Stephens starts wandering in Dublin's squares and involving himself in sentimental fantasies and reveries. He gets overwhelmed by his new independence and foreign capital. In this chapter, Stephen develops a feeling of dishonor after encountering disappointment from his father. He significantly takes his father's deception to heart and discovers that he cannot pardon him when he obliges his descendant's emotional support and empathy. This chapter demonstrates how Stephen changed and devoted most of his time in adjusting academically to cover his humiliation concerning his family's hardship.

     Portrait of an Artist: Chapter 3

     Having perpetrated a drastic sin of lust, Stephen is seen afraid that he has started a connection of resistance, described by Thomas Aquinas as the "Seven Deadly Sins." He is conscious of his self-sufficiency in the greatness and greed in using capital to acquire sexual services from prostitutes and desire those whose scandals are more significant than his. Stephen also notices his anger towards harmless schoolmates, voracious use of his food, and physical and spiritual laziness. All these aspects occurred in chapters two and three, which significantly contributed to the depletion of Stephen's complete quintessence. This fascination with transgression makes Stephen entreat up episodes of “why” and “if” about spirituality. He attempts to demystify his belief, doubts its efficacy, and possibly find absolution within a theological technicality. Regrettably, the disclosure of the retreat at the chapel makes Stephen experience the impact of his iniquity. He addresses the retreat encounter with a “withered” spirit and a perception of fear.

     In this chapter, Stephen decides to confess his sins after attending a sermon at the chapel. Even though he acknowledges that he needs to make a paramount admission, he implores God to pardon his repenting hesitation. Stephen's sins make him feel more afraid, especially after attending the sermon and hearing the retreat master's consequences. Bewildered by the discourse's influence, he starts to examine his morals and estimates his sins' consequence. Observing Stephen's life experience, it is evident that his sin made him recognize the consequences that he might encounter if he does not change. His decision to repent encouraged and comforted him after leaving the chapel. This indicates that Stephen has declared not sin again. The next morning after confessing, he sees taking the Holy Communion and states to start a new sanctity behavior and purity.  

     Portrait of an Artist: Chapter 4

     In this chapter, when the director of studies at Belvedere suggests that Stephen consider becoming a Jesuit priest, he becomes puzzled and discerns apparent manipulation attempts. Stephen goes a step ahead to confessing to the auteur how he acknowledged converting to a cleric. Practically instantaneously, he starts to fantasize regarding the power he may own when he joins the priesthood. Afterward, he contemplates the harsh certainties of the clerical experience and the revelation concerning his seeming incompetence to manage troubling, sentimental urges which remain to surface. As Stephens recollects the limitations at Belvedere and Clongwes, his body appears naturally to mutiny against principles of living his entire life in a limited community. At this moment, he starts to realize that the fundamental instability of his characteristics may necessarily influence him to fail and his seeming future to be obscure of theological and cultural customs.

     After the director's meeting, a group of friends appears and announces his arrival, "Here comes The Deadalus." At this stage, Stephen describes this announcement as a type of prophecy, and carelessly throws aside his ambiguities. During this occasion, Stephen vows to follow his namesake's footsteps, Daedalus, the "great artificer." Consequently, Stephen decides that he will soar above his past cultural and religious limitations and fly towards the destiny of his artistic independence. By noticing the significance of this inspiration, Stephen sees that he is behind. In this chapter, Stephen meets a lady who accepts hi religious passion and requests him to express his instinctive feeling of wonder. It all seems like a dream; this makes Stephen cry “Heavenly God," proclaiming the appearance of his career's direction. At this point, Stephen realizes he can perceive with his eyes of a man also, concurrently, with an artist's sights.

     Portrait of an Artist: Chapter 5

     The main issue Stephen discusses in this chapter is Stephen’s mother's request that Stephen goes home and conduct his Easter obligations, including communion and confession. However, Stephen is not interested in taking part in Easter's family routine due to conserving credo. The central theme discussed between Stephen and Cranly at this stage is Stephen’s religious background and obligation.  Cranly is seen encouraging Stephen to follow his family's footsteps and participate in Easter's activities. The two are seen engaging in a deep conversation but have different ideas. For instance, Cranly insists that Stephen should become one of them by agreeing to his mother's call.

     Stephen refuses to follow Cranly’s advice and explains to him why he is not interested. Stephen starts to reveal himself by confessing that he was a passionate Roman Catholic and a genuine follower of his parents and nation. However,  been deceived, restricted, and frustrated on most occasions by his family, church, and state, he now prefers to give them no attention and abandon them all. Stephen explains that he holds a profound obligation to maintain his aesthetic, religious, and governmental sovereignty.

      At this stage, he is seen worried since Cranly does not have the same perspective, and his repentance is further synthesized when he releases Cranly's frantic concern of being retarded. Nonetheless, proclaiming to worry over nothing, Stephen settles his decision by declaring, “I will not serve that in which I no longer believe whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church.” This statement indicates that Stephen has become an independent young man who has decided to follow his dream and not what his family, church, and country want him to become. In his final conversation, Stephen decides to invoke his mythical namesake, Daedalus. He takes the step to ask his old father, the old artificer, to help him pursue his artistic dream.