A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Summary

A Portrait of the mechanic as a Young Man In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, the of import character, Stephen Dedalus has a vitality long desire to palpate a convey figure. Not finding it within his own home he is oblige to look out among the other men who play intricate sections in his career. Some of the men that Stephen looks to as return figures include his dad, the dean of his school, the Jesuiticalic priest of the retreat, his friend Cranly, and Daedelus of a Greek mythology. Again and again Stephen is set nigh with the disappointment of a potential preceptor figure letting him down.It is non until all others have failed him that he finds a grow figure that fulfills his life. throughout Stephens life he and his paternity grow apart. As a child Stephen adores his mystify. Stephen remembers the story his fetch use to tell him about the moocow (1). Stephens memory of this story deputes he put complete focus into his set about whenever hi s fetch was around. Stephens father seems gentle and benevolent when he puts the do on Stephens plate after e rattlingone else denies the sauce (19). As Stephen gets honest-to-god he loses his bond with his father.Stephen believes his father is in a peck of trouble. forward Stephens family moves to Dublin he hears his father tell his uncle that he has enemies and well-nigh sort of fight is going to happen (45). This news puts a lot of pressure of Stephen and it makes Stephen pull away from his father. Stephen feels that the information that he learned makes him a part of the fight (45). Stephens bonds breaks even more when his father makes gaming of him. Stephens father talked to the dean from Stephens school and learned that Stephen make a huge deal out of getting pandied (50).When Stephen learns they laughed about it he take very ashamed and he starts to dislike his father (50). As Stephen matures his father means less and less to him. Stephen feels ashamed of his fathers drinking so he tries to avoid the reality of the situation (65). Stephen begins to become ashamed of all of the things his father does (67). Stephen feels his father has failed him in being a role model to him. Stephens dad fails Stephen in the role of a father figure. This leads Stephen to look for a father figure outside of his family. end-to-end his life Stephen looks to some of the religious leaders as father figures. Those father figures include the minister of his school and the Jesuit priest from the retreat. The diplomatic minister of Stephens school is looked to as a father figure. Stephen believes his is of good intelligence and is non judgmental. After Stephen is pandied for no reason, Stephen looks to the Rector (36). Stephen believes he has been wronged and is very mad that founding father Arnell did not stand up for him (35). Stephen shows capital courage when he goes up to the rectors room to complain about induce Dolans pandying.All of his fellow classmates are cheering him on to talk to the rector (36). At the beginning of Stephen and the rectors conversation the rector show great care for Stephen. The rector exactly listens to Stephen and the problem he is having (38). When the rector starts to deny Father Dolans mistake Stephen becomes a little spoil (39). The rector sees this frustration and tells Stephen he will talk to Father Dolan the conterminous day (39). Stephens view of the rector as a father figure starts to change after the confrontation.The Rector really fails Stephen when Stephen learns that the Rector and Father Dolan have been talking about him, especially when he hears they laughed about him (50). other father figure of Stephens fails. Even though the rector fails Stephen he provided some philosophy to Stephens life. The Jesuit priest from the retreat as well as provides a father figure to Stephen for a short period of time. The Jesuit priest puts fear into Stephen. During the three day retreat Stephen is told all o f the icky things that sins do in your life (77).The Jesuit priest makes Stephen long for caution and he hopes he can live a sinless life after the retreat (103). When Stephen tries to live a sin free life he doubts himself that he is not completely redeemed (109). Even though the Jesuit priest scares Stephen into religion he fails Stephen as a father figure. Stephen feels he cannot trust the Jesuit, so he goes to a private church building to pray (104). The religious leaders fail Stephen in giving him the father figure he is searching for. Stephen also looks to Cranly, his friend, in college as a father figure.Cranly gives Stephen advice on life and financial aids Stephen in choices. Cranly provides Stephen with philosophy in his commence to be a father figure to Stephen. Stephen really likes Cranly (128). Stephen talks about remembering Cranly by his face and not what the rest of him looks like (128). Stephen looks to Cranly for help about a problem he is having. Stephens mom wants him to go to the Easter service, but Stephen does not feel the religious faith he once felt (167). Cranly tells Stephen he should go because a mothers love is more important than Stephens religious doubts (167).Stephen and Cranlys experience ends when Stephen says his is going to leave the country to explore his artistic ability (169). Cranly warns him this whitethorn be the wrong choice, but Stephen ignores him. Cranly fails Stephen as a father figure. Stephen does not agree with Cranly in the end and that makes Stephens idea of Cranly as a father figure disappears. The one person that successfully provides Stephen a father figure is Daedelus from Greek mythology. Daedelus provides Stephen with inspiration to be a better person and to express his artistic ability (124).Even though Daedelus was not a successful father figure to his son Icarus, Stephen still feels that Daedelus is the prefect father figure. Since Daedelus is just in Stephens mind, Stephen is his own father. W hen Stephen leaves Ireland he become his own role model in that he is Daedelus in his mind and he is not leaving anything important behind (156). Stephen puts a lot of faith into Daedelus. In Stephens journal entry on April 27 he calls Daedelus the great creator which also refers to Stephen being a great creator because Daedelus is in Stephens mind (185).Daedelus is the only man that provides Stephen with a father figure. Daedelus is Stephens perfect father in his mind. Stephens search for a father figure is throughout A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Even though Stephen takes a long time to find his perfect father figure, he does. Stephen searched his whole life for a father figure and then he realizes he is his own father and he is the only thing he needs. The father figures are a very important idea in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.