I'm reading this at the moment.
To me, I find this pretty hard going, however the eventual evolution of Stephen's mind is an interesting thing to watch, even if its a hard slog to get through. I'm up to chapter 2. I have the Penguin Modern Classics version, and the annotations at the back really help me with the meanings of things.
I find I'm not able to pick up much of the symbolism behind Joyce...I read Dubliners, and I must say I found it a much easier read than Portrait.
But then again, I'm only 17. You can however see in Daedalus's stream-of-consciousness Joyce's cynicism and skepticism for Catholocism.
However could someone enlighten me on the symbolism and maybe explain this book a little easier to me? I find it quite a hard novel to grasp with all its themes and things.
