Virginia Woolf's a Portrait of the Artist Term Paper

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Virginia Woolf's a Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

In his novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce employs symbols and motifs to illustrate Stephen's maturity and growth. Joyce brings to mind the myth of Icarus and Daedalus, which help us understand Stephen's thoughts and actions. Joyce also includes such symbols as color and water to demonstrate the Stephen's development. In addition, Joyce utilizes motifs such as fire, prayer, and religion to emphasize the incredible impact religion makes on Stephen as a young boy and how it influences his decisions as a young adult.

One significant use of symbolism in "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" is the myth of Icarus and Daedalus. Like Icarus and Daedalus, Stephen is wandering and seeking his identity. Because he is on a path to self-discovery, Joyce has Stephen walk the path of many roads. For instance, Stephen is wandering the streets when he happens upon his first sexual encounter. We are told that he "wandered into a maze of narrow and dirty streets" (100). Stephen also wanders "swiftly throughout he dark streets" (139) when he is struggling with his sin. He "walked on and on through illicit streets, fearing to stand still for a moment lest it might seem that he held back from what awaited him" (140). After his confession, we are told the "muddy streets were grey" as a purified Stephen made his way home. Stephen must balance his desire to leave his country with his own abilities. To avoid making a bad decision such as Icarus did, Stephen decides to spend more time at the university and develops his craft of writing.

Stephen is also like Icarus in that he wishes to be free from what his family, friends, and teachers expect of him. This desire and the conflict it sometimes creates within Stephen is often symbolized by birds.

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Early in the novel, Stephen's mother tells him to apologize, or the "eagles will come and pull out his eyes" (8). As Stephen gets older, we see his desire for freedom become more important. However, Stephen realizes truth, perfection evolve into doves (169). Additionally, as Stephen yearns to be free from his world, he "desires to cry aloud, the cry of a hawk or eagle on high to cry piercingly of his deliverance to the winds. This was the call of life to his soul not the dull gross voice of the world of duties and despair. . .. An instant wild flight had delivered him" (169). Stephen also describes in great detail the birds in flight as he stand on his porch steps. He notices their flight, which was a "dark swerve, a flash again, a dart aside, a curve, a flutter of wings" (224). He also hears them "squeak like mice" (224). Even as he completely breaks the ties to his past at the end of the novel, Stephen notices and carefully describes the manner in which the birds fly and dart through the air (123). The birds are a symbol of Stephen's flight. We can see throughout the novel that Joyce is preparing use for Stephen's flight by his contact with these winged creatures.

Colors are also important symbols in Joyce's novel. The color white is often a symbol of purity. Eileen's hands are described as long thin and cool "because she was a girl" (42). Additionally, we are told that was the: meaning of Tower of Ivory but protestants could not understand it and made fun of it"….....

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