Portrait Reflection

I enjoyed Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. While it is quite challenging in its complexity, the overall development of Stephen is so incredible that the breakdown of the story is worthwhile. Joyce’s poetic language and message to live life independently is also what I truly appreciate from this book. While many of Stephen’s situations were at the extreme, I as a reader could still relate to some of his feelings of not knowing exactly what to do next as well as the feelings of pure enthusiasm for the things people find talent in and love to do as individuals. I like this book for its message of how people may not necessarily be skillful at one thing, but how they all have a gift they should learn to cherish and grow from as Stephen has.