Sunday, March 30, 2008

Portrait Quote

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man a quote

I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use – silence, exile, and cunning. (269)

This quote is one of Stephen’s greatest discoveries. Throughout the entire novel he is trying to find himself. He has been enduring some very difficult times but here he finally realizes that he will just do his best to succeed and do what he feels is right. He finally knows that he will be in control of his actions. Nothing can stop him or force him to do something he does not believe in from this point on. Stephen is a true artist not in just his way of formulating words, but now also in his way of carrying out his life – he will live it freely. Stephen is no longer concerned with what others want of him or what his former Catholic faith demands of its followers or what Ireland expects everyone to be. Stephen has finally fully expressed who he is because he finally knows who that person is. He will use silence to listen and absorb his surroundings. He will use cunning to be able to express who he fully is, which is all the deceptive emotions that come along with words. Stephen will use exile to be independent of what his country wants for him and do whatever it is he wants for himself. This quote describes the start of a new life for Stephen and how his outlook on life is changed forever.

1 comment:

Mr. Klimas said...

What about the diction of the passage?