Chapter 4 by Jacob Grossman, Nick Iatarola, Lizzy Teran, and Emma Winship

Summary- Stephen orders his life according to a strict prayer schedule (every day is divided into

different sorts of prayers)- Continues to carry rosaries in his pocket→ praying for redemption constantly- In order to stay grounded, he disciplines each of his five senses

1. Looks at the ground when he walks2. Endures unpleasant noises3. Endures unpleasant smells (smell of fish)4. Fasts frequently5. Places himself in uncomfortable or painful positions- At the end of the winter vacation, Stephen is called in to meet with the director of the

Jesuit college- The priest begins to discuss the robes worn by the priests and then compares these robes

to skirts→ makes Stephen think about women- In this talk, the priest suggests that Stephen would be well suited for a career as a priest,

which makes him feel empowered with a great sense of knowledge.

Summary - As he exits the meeting, he imagines the lifestyle of a priest and views it very similar to that

of a school boy.- He feels a sudden urge of rebellion, which makes him realize he wants no part of this way

of life. - Stephen has another moment of realization, coming to a conclusion that his religious

devotion has had little effect on his life.- He decides that he will never become a part of any such institution or order and that all of

his further wisdom will be received first hand. - He understands that in order to fully experience and gather this wisdom first hand, he will

sin many times. - After all of this realization, Stephen heads home- His sister breaks the news that the parents are out looking for a new home because they will

soon be evicted from their home.- In this chapter Stephen is also anxiously awaiting news from the University about his

acceptance

Summary- His mother does not approve of the whole University idea, while he believes that it is the

signalling of this entrance to adult life.- A line of clergy men pass him while he is standing outside, which makes him feel bad for

refusing the priesthood.- When one of his friends calls his name out as he is walking the streets of Dublin, he thinks

of Daedalus (the father of Icarus and the creator of the labyrinth)- He feels that his body has been purified and is connected with his soul.- He feels free and now knows his calling is to be an artist.- He takes his shoes off and begins to let his mind run while his feet are in the sea.- He rejoices to his youthful wild sensory that was absent throughout nearly this entire

chapter.- Stephen notices an amazingly beautiful women standing in the distance.- Stephen then falls asleep on the beach, falling into a completely different world.- When he awakens, he is still filled with joy

Practices of self mortification and imprisonment- Stephen begins a practice of self mortification where he effectively causes himself

displeasure for the purpose of overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins to become holy. - “In order to mortify the sense of sight he made it his rule to walk in the street with

downcast eyes, glancing neither to the right nor left and never behind him”(Joyce 152-153).

- He prevented himself from looking women in the eyes in sole fear of sinning. - “To mortify his hearing he exerted no control over his voice which was then breaking,

neither sang nor whistled and made no attempt to flee from noises which caused painful nervous irritation…”(Joyce 153)

- Stephen forced himself to listen to sounds of displeasure, thinking that if he were to avoid them, it would be considered sinning.

- “To mortify his smell was more difficult as he found in himself no instinctive repugnance to bad odors…” (Joyce 153)

Practices of self mortification and imprisonment Continued

- Even though he generally did not find repugnant odors to smell bad, he made a general effort to force himself to smell these odors, in fear of sinning.

- “To mortify the taste he practised strict habits at the table, observed to the letter all the fasts of the church and sought by distraction to divert his mind from the savours of different foods.” (Joyce 153)

- He prevents himself from enjoying tempting foods by fasting because if he eats these foods- believes it is a sin.

- “But it was the mortification of touch that he brought the most assiduous ingenuity of inventiveness. He never consciously changed positions, suffered patiently every itch and pain…” (Joyce 153)

- As you can see, Stephen is imprisoning himself by consciously effecting his senses.

Attempts to intellectualize religion to his benefit or detriment- Stephen’s entire life is scheduled around different prayers at different times

“He offered up each of his three daily chaplets* that his soul might grow strong in each of the three theological virtues, in faith in the Father Who had created him, in hope in the Son ho had redeemed him, and in love of the Holy Ghost Who had sanctified him; and his thrice triple prayer he offered to the Three Persons through Mary in the name of her joyful and sorrowful and glorious mysteries (Joyce 129)”.

- Prays three times daily to the Holy Trinity; prays every day of the week to the Holy Spirit to help him overcome the Seven Deadly Sins

- Carries his rosary around in his pocket so he can run his fingers over it as he walks around the city

“To merge his life in the common tide of other lives was harder for him than any fasting or prayer, and it was his constant failure to do this to his own satisfaction which caused in his soul at least a sensation of spiritual dryness together with a growth of doubts and scruples (Joyce 132).”

- He goes through ups and downs with his faith → wonders if he’s really saved from hell or not

Attempts to intellectualize religion to his benefit or detriment continued“Often we he had confessed his doubts and scruples, some momentary inattention at prayer, a movement of trivial anger in his soul or a subtle willfulness in speech or act, he was bidden by his confessor to name some sin of his past life before absolution was given to him” (Joyce 133).

- Stephen believes he wouldn’t be freed from his wrong doings and the sins he committed, so repenting continuously allowed him to justify himself and hope for the restless feeling of guilt to go away. His continuous routine of confessing, repenting, and being absolved was his way to freedom and being “clean”.

- can’t believe how empty his life seemed before he decided to follow Catholicism.- finds a deep understanding and belief in God that was missing before→ whole world seems like it only exists to

realize how strong and amazing the Powers are (the Holy Trinity)- the Stephen of the first three chapters is gone here; this chapter is missing a lot of the descriptive detail we saw earlier

because Stephen isn’t looking for it.- Stephen is also more “popular” in a sense than he was before when he interacts with the boy

The Director’s tone and Stephen’s perceptions of their meeting

-the director of Stephen’s school notices his strong dedication to religion→ decides to talk to Stephen and Stephen was hoping that some unforeseen cause would’ve prevented the director from approaching him

- director discusses a possible vocation pathway for Stephen because of his devotion to religion

“‘In a college like this, he said at length, there is one boy or perhaps two or three boys whom God calls to the religious life. Such a boy is marked off from his companions by his piety, by the good example he shows to others. He is looked up to by them; he is chosen perhaps as prefect by his fellow sodalists. And you, Stephen, have been such a boy in this college, prefect of Our Blessed Lady’s sodality. Perhaps you are the boy in this college whom God designs to call to Himself” (Joyce 137).

- A strong sense of pride and enthusiasm in the director’s voice made Stephen feel loved and welcomed- He claims he had seen himself as a priest, participating and possessing the power of the priesthood.- There are manipulations present when Stephen immediately goes into fantasizing about his “future” life and how

taking on a vocation like this would change him both internally and externally.

The Director’s tone and Stephen’s perceptions of their meeting“‘Your catechism tells you that the sacrament of the Holy Orders is one of those which can be received only once because it imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark which can never be effaced. It is before you must weigh well, not after. It is a solemn question, Stephen, because on it may depend the salvation of your eternal soul” (Joyce 139).

As Stephen hears the director assure him that taking on the vocation of priesthood requires great and utter dedication and seriousness, the meeting ends and the director gives him his hand as if Stephen already joined the spiritual life and calling.

Religious imagery during the meeting- “The director stood in the embrasure of the window, his back to the light, leaning

an elbow on the brown cross blind and, as he spoke and smiled, slowly dangling

and looping the cord of the other blind.” (Joyce 156)

- The priest makes sure to tell Stephen that his vocation is in all seriousness and he

must be 100% dedicated if he wants to do it.

- In a way it foreshadows Stephen coming to a realization that this lifestyle is far

from what he wants.

- “The tiny flame which the priest’s allusion had kindled upon Stephen’s cheek had

sunk down again and his eyes were still fixed calmly on the colourless sky.” (Joyce

159)

- During this vocation he can experience renewal and a sense of rebirth, but it also

could cause him destruction internally.

- The fire is also a warning to Stephen not to join the priesthood.

Symbols: Water

- The water scene at the close of Chapter Four, is when Stephen has an artistic epiphany at the beach.

“But the tide was near the turn and already the day was on the wane. He turned landward and ran towards the shore and, running up the sloping beach, reckless of the sharp shingle, found a sandy nook amid of a ring of tufted san knolls and lay down there that the peace and silence of the evening might still the riot of his blood” (Joyce 151).

- Water is often represented as a symbol of life and rebirth. Although water often has its negative connotations, in this scenario and realize it is a representation of Stephen’s realization of his destiny in life

- The water here is clean and natural, colored and consists of lively seaweed when he describes what he sees. - In Catholicism, water is considered holy and pure. He surely realizes in the beginning of the chapter that

Catholicism purifies his soul as he continues to repent for his sins- Stephen’s soul is cleansed and full of wild new life. Towards the end of the chapter, he feels “the calm

processes of the heavenly bodies” as he looks over at the sea and has his realization of his true calling in life. It takes the Stephen we knew at the beginning of the book to a calm individual encountering his true self

Symbols: Bridge- The bridge symbolizes change and unknown growth about an individual.

“He crossed the bridge over the stream of Tolka and turned his eyes coldly for an instant.” (Joyce 164)

- Joyce includes the symbolism of bridges to show a new beginning, or a bold/daring event.

- Bridges can represent birth by connecting/leading to something new, that hasn’t been discovered yet.

- Stephen sees new insight when he crosses a bridge, and also before he talks to the bird-girl.

- After Stephen crosses the bridge, he looks to something new.

Symbols: Disorder

● Disorders symbolize difference from others around you.

“He smiled to think that it was this disorder, the misrule and confusion of his

father's house and the stagnation of vegetable life, which was to win the day in his

soul.” (Joyce 155)

● Stephen realizes that he has this kind of disorder where he prefers the simple

smell and sensations of life and living.

● This disorder reveals the uniqueness of Stephen in his very own way.

● He realizes no one thinks the way he does, especially about certain things.

● This leads him to think he has a disorder.

Symbols: Bird Imagery

- Bird flight represents the freedom Stephen longs for.- Whenever it pops up in the book, you can conclude that he is - Birds are a sign of the mysterious, distant future he sees for himself- “His heart trembled in an ecstasy of fear and his soul was in flight” (Joyce 172).- “His soul was souring in an air beyond the world and the body he knew was purified in a breath and delivered of incertitude and

made radiant and commingled with the element of the spirit” (Joyce 172).- Joyce includes imagery of birds as threatening, images of beauty and escape in order to help us unify the understanding of

Stephen’s tempestuous journey through life- The use of bird imagery is also used to compare the beautiful woman standing before him in the midstream.- “She seemed like one whom magic had changed into the likeness of a strange and beautiful seabird. Her long slender bare legs

were delicate as a crane’s and pure save where emerald trail of seaweed had fashioned itself as a sign upon the flesh.” (Joyce 174)

As Stephen watches her in adoration of her likeness of a strange and beautiful bird, he realizes she is the epitome of all that is the wonder of moral beauty. This “wholesome bird-like” girl with long slender and fragile legs gives Stephen a perception a true virtuous beauty he has never encountered→ He realizes it is a calling out to recreate life out of what he has as he starts to know the true artist he wants to be.

Symbols: Daedalus & Icarus

- Stephen’s fathers last name= embodies the idea of flight- Daedalus was a craftsman and artist in Greek Mythology- Had two sons named Icarus and Iapyx- He designed Labyrinth of Crete for King Minos- King Minos kept Daedalus and his sons imprisoned on Crete, but Daedalus made a

plan to escape→ used feathers, wax, and twine to create a set of wings for his sons and himself

- Daedalus escapes, but Icarus flies too high→ Icarus falls to his death to sea due to the sun’s heat melting the wax that held together his wings

Symbols: Daedalus & Icarus Continued

- Daedalus is seen through Stephen, because like Daedalus, Stephen feels compelled to find an escape from the labyrinth of Dublin which threatens him with restraints involving spiritual, cultural, and social matters

- Icarus is seen through Stephen because like Icarus, Stephen often ignores the confrontations and warnings of clergy and family→ he is drawn toward a somewhat philosophical illumination (like the sun that melted Icarus wings) which results in him “falling” toward sin and leads him to renounce his Catholic faith

Stephen’s Vision of The Girl

When Stephen is still wondering and debating whether he should take on the vocation of priesthood, he sees a girl standing before him midstream, gazing out to sea. Upon gazing at the beauty of this young girl, a sudden change comes over him. Before he saw her, he was not sure about becoming a priest. His soul is in turmoil and he has conflicted thoughts and emotions about his purpose of life and what he is supposed to do.

“Her image had passed into his soul for ever and no word had broken the holy silence of his ecstasy. Her eyes had called him and his soul had leaped at the call. To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, to recreate life out of life! A wild angel had appeared to him, the angel of mortal youth and beauty, an envoy from the fair courts of life, to throw open before him in an instant of ecstasy the gates of all the ways of error and glory (Joyce 150).”

Stephen’s vision of the girl is important because she is one epiphany which empowers him to become an artist. When he sees the glimpse of her reflected in the water, he has a sudden moment of clarity about who he really is and what he should become. He claims that, “his soul was swooning into some new world, fantastic, dim uncertain as under seas, transversed by cloudy shapes and beings (151).” Stephen’s decisive details of the scene reflects his choices and how he realizes his true calling in life.

Stephen’s maturation from child to adult- Stephen contemplates the direction of his life.

- Development of own morals and opinions.

- Interacts kindly with siblings as if he is a wise older sibling.

- “All that had been denied them had been freely given to him,

the eldest: but the quiet glow of the evening showed him in

their faces no sign of rancour.” (Joyce 166)

- Reacts differently upon hearing of their possible eviction and

moving.

- “Still another removal! A boy named Fallon in Belvedere had

often asked him with a silly laugh why they moved so often. A

frown scorn darkened quickly his forehead as he heard again

the sill laugh of the questioner.” (Joyce 166)

Chiasmic Symmetry (Mirror images from chapters one and two)

-Stephen’s romantic dreams of Mercedes from earlier chapters have been replaced by a new, equally

romantic image of himself as a young, dignified priest. He imagines himself taking on secondary roles at

mass.

- Much like he’s been intimidated by interaction with Mercedes, he’s intimidated by the idea of being the

center of the ritual. He prefers to think of himself occupying some smaller but necessary role.

-Stephen is “seduced” by this idea, in the same way he was seduced by a life of sin in the beginning of

the novel.

- “His soul had loved to muse in secret on this desire. He had seen himself, a young and silent-mannered

priest, entering a confessional swiftly, ascending the altar steps, incensing, genuflecting, accomplishing

the vague acts of the priesthood which pleased him by reason of their semblance of reality and of their

distance from it.”

-Very similar to how he used to secretly ponder upon his sinful ideas, Stephen is tantalized with the idea

of priesthood.

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