Page 4 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast
Results 46 to 60 of 99

Thread: Joyce/ Portrait - Discussion Thread

  1. #46
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    I have just finished reading Chapter 3 and oh my! That was one of the most dreadful piece of reading I have had to do I think... The references to religion was gloomy with constant mention of sin, punishment and hell... I feel like I have been there and back after finishing that chapter...

    Papaya> I have read the part where he gets angry again and I think you are right that he is angry that the girl is not there. Thank you very much
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


  2. #47
    Super papayahed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    17,049
    speaking of Chapter 3, in the beginning when the rector is talking about the retreat, it has a line about Stphens heart withering: A little wave of quiet mirth broke forth over the classof boys from the rector's grim smile. Stephen's heart began slowely to fold and fade with fear like a withering flower. A few lines down it mentions his heart fading like a flower again. What's that all about?
    Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda


  3. #48
    Peace is this way Jester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    a tiny little place called Earth, my corner of the universe and beyond
    Posts
    973
    im stilll in chapter one but whats smugging?
    "It all comes down to what we make of ourselves, eh?"
    -The Fairy Godmother

    "Sing on, poor souls! The night is short, and the morning will part you forever!"
    - Uncle Tom's Cabin

  4. #49
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    København for the present
    Posts
    6,516
    Blog Entries
    34
    Thank you for continuing the discussion guys. I haven't read further. Bit tired these days. I'll catch up this weekend and perhaps I might get some new insights

  5. #50
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Jester
    im stilll in chapter one but whats smugging?
    http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=67&q=smugging
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


  6. #51
    Peace is this way Jester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    a tiny little place called Earth, my corner of the universe and beyond
    Posts
    973
    um.... thanks scher but that doesn't explain why the kids are either getting expelled or whipped for it...
    "It all comes down to what we make of ourselves, eh?"
    -The Fairy Godmother

    "Sing on, poor souls! The night is short, and the morning will part you forever!"
    - Uncle Tom's Cabin

  7. #52
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    The boys who were caught 'smugging' were experimenting with homosexuality which was not accpetable at the time... which led to their expulsion.
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


  8. #53
    Peace is this way Jester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    a tiny little place called Earth, my corner of the universe and beyond
    Posts
    973
    ahhh okay, that makes more sense, thanks
    "It all comes down to what we make of ourselves, eh?"
    -The Fairy Godmother

    "Sing on, poor souls! The night is short, and the morning will part you forever!"
    - Uncle Tom's Cabin

  9. #54
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    Quote Originally Posted by papayahed
    speaking of Chapter 3, in the beginning when the rector is talking about the retreat, it has a line about Stphens heart withering: A little wave of quiet mirth broke forth over the classof boys from the rector's grim smile. Stephen's heart began slowely to fold and fade with fear like a withering flower. A few lines down it mentions his heart fading like a flower again. What's that all about?
    I am finally reading the final chapter (YAY!) and come across some other references to 'flower/s'... in similar contexts... I am going out on a limb here but would like to suggest that the flower reference signifies how Joyce sees the children or young minds maybe. They are fresh and beautiful but under the constant scrutiny of religion and moral code, they cannot help but 'wither'...

    Or maybe it isn't young minds only but that of an artist specifically... A creative mind needs to be free and away from restrictions to develop and prosper.

    Someone, please, tell me that I am not babbling and I actually make sense!
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


  10. #55
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    København for the present
    Posts
    6,516
    Blog Entries
    34
    I finished chapter 3..phew....but end up in a blur understanding.. Guess I have to re-read again. But somehow I get the message of this spiritual fight between paying a true respect to God or being a genuine hypocrit

  11. #56
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    Agree with you. I also felt it was about his religious identity and the place of religion in his life.
    Did you also feel that the book has an interesting structure? It starts with childish babble, light and breezy and gets darker and darker... Like descending into a hole... chapter 3 is the worst, darkest part... and then the mood starts to change again, getting lighter, becoming less 'inflicting-suicidal-tendencies-upon-the-reader' kind... and this goes on till the end, as if climbing up, out of the hole again...

    I am glad you are also reading it, Sub. It seems like there are only 4-5 people who are.
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


  12. #57
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    København for the present
    Posts
    6,516
    Blog Entries
    34
    Yeah, i'm trying to finish it Scher...

    True that chapter 3 is so dark...Gosh this lad is just 16 yo..I don't know that a young boy could have such a heavy moments dealing with sins and all...but maybe if you study in Cath school..

  13. #58
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    Also, he is different from the other boys around him... which might be implying his artistic tendencies and sensitivities
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


  14. #59
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    København for the present
    Posts
    6,516
    Blog Entries
    34
    Yes, I noticed that Joyce didn't mentioned any of the lad's schoo mates who experienced the same anxiety. It seems that it's just he's alone who has that kind of point of view about sins and punishments
    Last edited by subterranean; 12-13-2004 at 05:38 AM.

  15. #60
    Pièce de Résistance Scheherazade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Tweet @ScherLitNet
    Posts
    23,903
    And maybe the only one who 'sinned' that way too?
    ~
    "It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
    ~


Page 4 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. "The Great Gatsby" share us the discussion
    By Ranoo in forum The Great Gatsby
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 10-19-2010, 07:44 PM
  2. James Joyce - Bloomsday
    By Isagel in forum Joyce, James
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 06-23-2008, 09:59 AM
  3. Book discussion suggestion =).
    By JediFonger in forum The Literature Network
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-27-2004, 02:33 PM
  4. Joyce - epiphany of pomes
    By ryokan in forum Poems, Poets, and Poetry
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 09-01-2003, 10:12 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •