The Frame is the Most Important Part of the Picture

After finishing reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce from cover to cover, the main theme that stuck out to me is how Stephen has developed throughout the book.  In the beginning, we are given an image of a small, timid, socially awkward, young boy who has yet to find his place in the world, but when reading the end of the book, although Stephen has yet to fully master the friend department (although he has made some!) he has definitely found himself and has become determined to accomplish the high reaching goals he has set out for himself.

In the initial chapters, the image of Stephen isn’t a strong one.  We see him pretending to play with the other boys at Clongowes Wood College.  He watches the “wide playgrounds swarming with boys... (watching) the greasy leather orb (fly) like a heavy bird through the grey light” (page 4).  In this, we can see that sports aren’t really Stephen’s forte, and that he’d much rather describe what’s happening that actually play.  We also see scenes of Stephen being bullied, as we read him account that “(It) was mean of Wells to shoulder him into the square ditch... how cold and slimy the water had been!” (page 7). Through these, we can see that in his earlier years, Stephen Dedalus had never really been part of the in crowd.  But, even though it can be painful to read of this young boy being excluded and picked on by other boys, it shows how his childhood shaped his later on introverted years.  Although there are a lot more factors that go towards his big decision in the end of the book, I think Stephen’s time at Clongowes was one of the more significant ones.    

But after reading five chapters of Stephen Dedalus’ life, we see the transformation of this young outcast boy become this very introverted, inspired teenager.  In the end, Stephen decides that he needs to escape his homeland, Ireland, and move to Europe to pursue his vision of becoming a true artist.  Although he has his doubts, relating his story to that of Daedalus and Icarus, where Icarus flies too close to the sun and his wings burn and he falls, where as Daedalus makes it to land.  But even though he has some uncertainty, he still decides he is going to leave his homeland to pursue whatever his passions may be.  

I find this action very heroic for it takes a lot of courage to leave your homeland and explore the unknown.  It’s pretty amazing how dedicated Stephen is to becoming an artists, and that he is finally carrying out what he needs/ wants in his life, instead of trying to pretend and please others.  But, in my opinion, without the experiences at Clongowes, even if they weren’t very pleasant, Stephen wouldn’t of had an essential development as a poised artist.  Although the finished portrait of his artist can be very satisfying, a picture is nothing without a defining frame.