Oct. 25 Joyce 194-253. He must make up his own
mind. Stephen has made it to college.
And so have we. In a lot of ways,
Stephen's angsty years have passed, thankfully abridged in the book, and he is
at a point in time and reflection that mirrors many college students', and
especially Plan II students', lamentations.
He's rejected his faith, but he's not altogether sure of whether or not
that his beliefs are the correct ones.
When being interrogated by Cranly, he explains he "had lost the faith,"
but Cranly points out that Stephen's mind "is supersaturated with the religion
in which [he] disbelieve[s]. (240, 241)" Like many college students, the
university is a great way to explore our beliefs and to decide what paths we
will take in our lives. Religion is such
a staple of our society and people's cultures and lives around the world, and it's
only natural to dwell and ponder religion, especially your own, and especially
when you must justify to yourself and to the world why you denounce it. As Cranly points out, "Many persons have
doubts, even religious persons, yet they overcome them or put them aside," but
for Stephen he does "not wish to overcome them. (239)" That's an interesting
take. It seems that he finds his old religion dogmatic, silly, and riddled with
fallacies, but yet he is not wholly willing to say it is wrong, but instead
Stephen wants to express himself and create art "in unfettered freedom. (246)" Cranly pries into Stephen's
morality, and wonders how someone free from religion could still have a strong
basis of morality. Often, this is an
argument that religious individuals use to argue against atheism and here in It's also interesting how Stephen's
nationalism is also challenged. Many
Americans have a very strong sense of pride for their country, and dissident or
merely critical opinions about the country are not taken lightly. In the same way Davin tries to raise
nationalist pride and action, "Try to be one of us, he implores," college
students often call their peers to action for political rallies and causes
(203). Like many jaded teens and young
adults, Stephen refuses and cites the downfalls of his ancestors and the
mistakes of his country. I wonder, dear Stephen, if inaction and
apathy is the way to go. You can have all the reasons in the world why
something doesn't work and why things need to be changed, but
simply refusing to accept or believe only leads to stagnation and hypocrisy. Also like a college student, he and
his friends become involved in esoteric conversations about esthetics and
beauty, and Stephen, in the true style of a budding poet, has formulated a
wonderful lyrical argument and explanation.
He describes three different forms of beauty and how is portrayed and
viewed by the artist. He also points out
that art, which I think are words Joyce himself picked to describe him, is "no
longer purely personal. The personality
of the artist passes into the narration itself. (215)" While
he continues on undaunted in his explanation, Lynch heckles Stephen's examples
like any incredulous modern day college student would and says "That has the
true scholastic stink. (214)" And how telling that is. There are so many students learning for the
first time about philosophies and logics.
Often they will regurgitate textbook theories that appeal to them on
some personal level, many times to the point where they are convinced it is an
argument of their own creation. Others
clumsily piece together their own thoughts and knowledge and
make propositions riddled with holes and discontinuities. The normal bouncing wall is their friends,
and much like work-shopping a screenplay one has devised, they give you honest
and often derisive feedback. In the end, as Stephen eventually
realizes, one must let go. You have to
make decisions on your own, come up with your own conclusions. Though your friends are there to help you
work through your problems, they cannot make up your mind for you. Stephen hears a voice while conversing with
Cranly, and he sadly realizes that he will have to leave his friendship as well
as his family behind. "Yes, he would
go. He could not strive against
another. He knew his part. (245)" |