I thought I had read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce in a college English class, but I clearly had not. I just finished reading it for the first time.
A summary is deceptively simple. Joyce presents a fictionalized account of his youth and coming of age, from babyhood to young adulthood, through the eyes and thoughts of the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus. Dedalus struggles with issues of family, of Irish identity and politics, of Catholicism and faith, and of his increasing understanding of his own artistic, literary temperament. He learns he must break free of it all and strike out on his own.
Of course, this superficial summary doesn’t do justice to the book. It’s not easy to read, but it is extraordinarily rewarding. Joyce’s writing has to be experienced. Maybe I’ll try tackling Dubliners.
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