A Portrait Of The Artist As
A Young Man- Chapter 3
Haya Barakat, Carly Deetman, Grace Halvorson,
Sarah Sieber, Jamie Drawbridge, Lauren Siegel,
Breanna Isley, Hailey Johnson
Specific Examples of Stephen’s Violation of
Each of the Seven Deadly Sins
Lust is the first of the Seven Deadly Sins that Stephen
commits. His first sexual experience brings him a lot of
sexual feelings and creates a new outlet for Stephen’s
emotions and sinful actions.
Stephen’s actions of sloth are that he has difficulty praying
and is apathetic in the beginning of the chapter.
The other deadly sins; pride, gluttony, envy, wrath, and
greed all stem from Stephen’s “violent sin”, lust.
Methods that Stephen Uses to Try to
Avoid Guilt and/or Punishment
Stephen avoids guilt by writing his sins on paper and taking
disposing of them in public places where they have the
potential to be discovered (102). This is Stephen’s first
attempt at confession. After hearing the sermons about
Hell at the retreat, Stephen hides in his room to “be
alone with [his] soul” (119). Later, he prays and asks for
help from God (121). And finally, disregarding his fear of
punishment, Stephen goes to confession. This is the
action that relieves him of his guilt and simultaneously
does not get him into trouble.
Sensory Images
•Silence, cold, smell, light, and dark all serve to amplify the descriptions in chapter three. Silence is often used
to describe Stephen’s mindset, contemplating his sin.
•The cold can be seen as an outward expression of his guilt, as its images often coincide with his tangent
wondering of what will happen to his soul because of the religious atrocity committed.
•Smell is most often used to describe hell and Stephen’s vision of it.
•Light and darkness both serve to either alter or enhance the mood of the scene, with dark being used in
situations seen as evil or bad.
Silence“He knelt in the silent gloom and raised his eyes” (125).
“The sacristan aiding them with quiet gestures and words” (123).
“As he walked home with silent companions a thick fog seemed to compass his mind” (98).
Cold“At the washstand a convulsion seized him within; and, clasping his cold forehead wildly, he vomited profusely
in agony” (121).
“His hands were cold and damp” (119).
“They were quenched, and the cold darkness filled chaos” (91).
“A cold sweat broke out upon his forehead as the foul memories condensed within his brain” (102).
Sensory Images
Smell“The horror of this strait and dark prison is increased by its awful stench” (105).
“The horror of this strait and dark prison is increased by its awful stench” (105).
“But this stench is not, horrible though it is, the greatest physical torment which the damned are subjected” (107).
“An evil smell, faint and foul as the light, curled upwards sluggishly” (120).Light and Dark•“Stars now brighter and now dimmer, sustained and failing” (123).
“And, cowering in darkness and abject, he prayed mutely to his angel guardian to drive away with his sword the demon
that was whispering to his brain” (122).
“They were quenched in the cold darkness filled chaos.” (91).
“In the silence their dark fire kindled the dusk into a tawny glow” (95).
“The horror of this strait and dark prison is increased by its awful stench” (105).
Religious Motifs
The devil, sin, and hell all serve as ongoing motifs in chapter three. This is
largely due to Stephen’s growing guilt for having relations with a prostitute
at the end of chapter two. His recent actions lie in stark contrast to the
Catholic environment in which he lives and is taught in. His resulting guilt
is only amplified by the Priest’s sermon in church on the retreat. In the final
section, he is convinced he is destined for hell for his behavior, and this
feeling grows until he repents in confession, to which he finally feels
unburdened after.
The Devil- “Lucifer, we are told, was a son of the morning, a radiant and
mighty angel; yet he fell; he fell and there fell with him a third party of the
host of heaven” (103).
•“The devil has led you astray. Drive him back to hell when he tempts you t
dishonor your body in that way- the foul spirit who hates Our Lord” (126).
•“A sin, an instant of rebellious pride of the intellect, made Lucifer and a third
party of the cohorts of angels fall from their glory” (117).
Religious Motifs
Sin- “He knew then clearly that his own soul had sinned in thought and word
and deed willfully through his own body. Confess. He had to confess every
sin. How could he utter in words to the priest what he had done?” (122)
“God will impart them to his own knowledge of sin so that sin will appear to
.
them in all its hideous malice as it appears to the eye of god himself” (113)
Hell- “His flesh shrank together as it felt the approach of the ravenous tongues
of flames, dried up as it felt about it the swirl of stifling air. He had died. Yes.
He was judged. A wave of fire swept through his body” (109).
“But in hell the torments cannot be overcome by habit, for while they are of
terrible intensity they are at the same time of continual variety, each pain, so
to speak, taking fire from another and re-endowing that which has enkindled
it with a still fiercer flame” (115).
“Consider finally that the torment of this infernal prison is increased by the
company of the damned themselves… In hell all laws are overturned” (107).
Fall from Grace,
Repentance, and Redemption
The chapter begins with Stephen already being far apart from God. He explains that “a cold lucid
indifference reigned in his soul” and admits that “his soul lusted after its own destruction” (91).
He explains that the sin that has consumed his life “had covered him from the sight of God” and
has “led him nearer to the refuge of sinners” (92). However, he still finds himself being drawn
into the temptations of the sins. He becomes scornful of all the people that attend church and, at
one point, refers to himself as becoming like a “beast that licks his chaps after meat” (98).
During the sermons given by Father Arnall, Stephen starts analyzing his own life and starts thinking
about death and God’s judgment of him. Scared of what awaits him after death, he realizes that he
has fallen from the grace of God and needs to repent for his sins. “He had to confess, to speak out
in words what he had done and thought, sin after sin” (111). Before he has the chance to repent he
becomes paranoid that God will take his life away before he is able to confess his sins, “he halted
on the landing before the door...he waited in fear…praying silently that death might not touch his
brow as he passed over the threshold…” (119).
That night he has a nightmare about what he imagines hell to be like, terrified, he prays to God to save
his soul, “his eyes were dimmed with tears and, looking humbly up to heaven, he wept for the
innocence he had lost” (121). Stephen immediately finds a church and repents all of his sins to the
priest, “...he had done it...he had confessed and God had pardoned him. His soul was made fair
and holy once more, holy and happy” (127). As soon as his confession is out, Stephen feels
renewed; like he has been born again. The next morning, he feels the love of God enter his body in
the form of communion. “He knelt there sinless and timid: and he would hold upon his tongue the
host and God would enter his purified body” (127).
Indications of a Turning-Point or
Climax For Stephen
The climax occurs slowly throughout the whole chapter. However, it is seen most prominently during
the second sermon when Stephen is told about the horrors of hell in vivid detail. Because of this he
becomes paranoid that he is already dead and is doomed because of his lack of confession.
However, he realizes that he still has time left to repent, “There was still time...he would still be
spared; he would repent in his heart and be forgiven…” (110). That night, he has a nightmare of
what he thinks hell is like and rushes to the closest church to confess his sins. As soon as he
arrives, Stephen “bowed his head upon his hands, bidding his heart be meek and humble that he
might be like those who knelt beside him and his prayer as acceptable as theirs” (123). After he
confesses all his sins and admits to being only 16, the priest grants him his forgiveness. “Blinded
by his tears and by the light of God’s mercifulness he bent his head and heard the grave words of
absolution spoken and saw the priest’s hand raised above him in token of forgiveness” (126).
After Stephen has confessed his sins, he feels as if he has been reborn. His old life, full of sin, is a
distant memory and completely cut off from his new life. Ultimately, in a way, he again obtains the
innocence he once had as a child.
The Pacing of Chapter Three
The overall pacing of chapter three is pretty slow mostly because of the large role repetition plays
throughout the chapter (which will be discussed in the next slide). Also, this chapter, unlike some
of the other chapters, does not have that much activity going on but instead reveals more about
Stephen’s mental state of mind. It also has a lot to do with the overall structure of the book.
Chapter 3
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
The reason why the Chapter
feeling and
different
1 tone of this chapter are so much
Chapter
5 from that of the other two
chapters is because of Joyce’s use of chiasmus structure.
The Pacing of Chapter Three
(Continued)
Unlike the other two chapters which had more relaxed tones, the tone of this chapter was much
harsher and created a feeling of disgust and hate. Although God is usually described as loving and
forgiving, in this chapter he is depicted as a ill-tempered and vengeful god.
Examples:
❖ “And then the voice of God was heard in that garden, calling His creature man to account: and
Michael, prince of the heavenly host, with a sword of flame in his hand appeared before the
guilty pair and drove them forth from Eden into the world, the world of sickness and striving, of
cruelty and disappointment, of labour and hardship, to earn their bread in the sweat of their
brow.(125).
❖ “They lie in exterior darkness. For, remember, the fire of hell gives forth no light. As, at the
command of God, the fire of the Babylonian furnace lost its heat but not its light so, at the
command of God, the fire of hell, while retaining the intensity of heat, burns eternally in
darkness.” (127).
Although the majority of this chapter has a very negative tone, the tone drastically changes once
Stephen confesses his sins. After he confesses, Stephen feels completely burden-free and the last
few pages of the chapter take on a joyous and thankful tone.
The Function of Repetition
This chapter was very repetitive which mirrors the repetitiousness of Stephen’s sinful actions. Much
like the continuous description of hell that seemed like it would go on for an eternity (just like hell
does) and the “slow circles” of the creatures in Stephen’s vision, Stephen’s immoral actions appear
to be a cycle which he cannot break.
Examples:
❖ Symbols are repeated a lot such as eyes, stars, flowers, light, kisses, ect. (explained in the
religious image/symbols slide)
❖ Opening and Closing/Appearing and disappearing: reflects Stephen’s awareness or ignorance of
his actions and the guilt or lack of guilt he experiences.
➢ “...appearing and disappearing were eyes opening and closing;the eyes opening and closing
were stars being born…”(111).
❖ Ideas of judgement, death, and weakness: used to show Stephen’s fear of his future and how
helpless he felt about the situation
➢ “Stephen’s heart had withered up like a flower…”(116).
➢ “The next day brought death and judgement”(119).
➢ “....the breath, the poor breath, the poor helpless human spirit, sobbing and sighing,
gurgling and rattling in the throat. No help! No Help!”(119).
➢ “And this day will come, shall come, must come; the day of death and the day of
judgement. It is appointed unto man to die and after death the judgement. Death is
certain...Death is the end of us all. Death and judgement…”(122).
The Function of Repetition
(Continued)
❖ The phrase “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen”: not only
shows prayer which is a form of escaping guilt Stephen uses throughout the chapter, but also
symbolizes that everything you do is in the name of God. This idea scares Stephen because he
fears that his actions have angered God.
❖ Images of birds and the idea of falling: alludes to the story of Icarus who didn’t listen to his
father and fell to his death. Similarly, Stephen refuses to listen to his Father, God, and commits
sin which leads to his fall from grace and potentially his fall towards Hell as well.
➢ “...beasts and birds were their willing servants…”(125)
➢ “...yet he fell: he fell and there fell with him a third part of the host of heaven. He fell and
was hurled with his rebellious angels into hell…”(125)
❖ Idea of eternity: when the preacher elaborates on just how long eternity is, Stephen fears that he
will live in hell for all eternity which causes his turning point.
➢ “Last and crowning torture of all the tortures of that awful place is the eternity of hell.
Eternity!...Eternity!...And, remember, it is an eternity of pain...they are destined to last for
ever...for all eternity...What must it be, then, to bear the manifold tortures of hell for ever?
For Ever! For all eternity! Not for a year or an age but for ever.”(138)
➢ “...that sound of ticking was the ceaseless repetition of the words: ever, never; ever, never.
Ever to be in hell, never to be in heaven; ever to be shut off from the presence of God, never
to enjoy the beatific vision…”(139).
Repetition much like the last quote shows, creates a constant ticking like that of a clock. This is
important because it symbolizes Stephen’s race to repent and be redeemed before time runs out
and he is forced to live a life in hell for all eternity.
Stephen’s Epiphany
While Stephen was at the retreat with his school, the Priest was explaining to
the boys the importance of religion and preserving their faith. He discusses
death and judgement.
“It is appointed unto man to die and after death the judgement. Death
is certain. The time and manner are uncertain…”(130)
He especially elaborates on the consequences of committing sins. He alludes to
the story of Lucifer and Adam and Eve and how they sinned due to pride
and envy. When the Priest goes into sharp detail about the torment of hell
and all that one will suffer and go through, Stephen sees the reality of his
sins. The Priest repeats, “Time is, time was, but time shall be no
more”(130)! Stephen is now aware that if he runs out of time he will be
among those who will face the torture of the fires of hell.
Stephen realized that he needs to repent and confess his sins. The only thing
standing in his way is his self-consciousness of others judging him and
because he is unable to forgive himself he is having a hard time going to the
church and confessing.
Moment of Stasis (Equilibrium)
There were many moments of stasis in this chapter. Most of them occurred when the
Priest would pause during his speech and when we see the thoughts of Stephen.
When the time to repent was stressed and Stephen “...feared that he had already died,
and his soul had been wrenched forth of the sheath of his body”(131), and was being
judged by God. When he awoke from this trance to being in the, “...still familiar world
of the school”(132), he felt tranquil and comfortable with his surroundings. At this
point he wanted to “...repent in his heart and be forgiven...He had to confess, to speak
out in words what he had done and thought, sin after sin”(133). Even though he came
to this conclusion in the middle of the chapter, he still hasn’t truly convinced himself
of the urgency of his repentance.
Another moment of stasis was when Stephen was in the chapel and ready to confess.
While he was knelt down bench and waiting for space to open at the box he thought
about how, “He would be at one with others and with God. He would love his
neighbor. He would love God Who had made and loved him. He would kneel and
pray with others and be happy”(149). This was the first part in the chapter where
Stephen is actually at peace with his decision to confess. Despite his nervousness and
fear of the judgment he may receive, he just thinks about the forgiveness he will
receive from God. He finally freed heart from the guilt he held over himself when
deciding to confess and then actually going through with it.
Dante Alighieri’s Divine
Comedy (The Inferno)
❖ Divine Comedy was Dante’s trip through Hell and his journey to Heaven.
The specific circles of incontinence have specific punishments.
➢ First Circle (Limbo) - there is an atmosphere of sorrow and sadness
➢ Second Circle (Lust) - sinners are blown around endlessly by
unforgiving winds of punishment
➢ Third Circle (Gluttony) - sinners lie here in the filthy mixtures of
shadows and water
➢ Fourth Circle (Greed) - sinners roll weights back and forth on each
other
➢ Fifth Circle (Anger) - the wrathful and the gloomy are punished, and
you meet the Styx, who makes this level miserable for its sinners.
Thomas Aquinas and the
Seven Deadly Sins
❖ Thomas Aquinas was a medieval church leader who had a wider view on
gluttony, arguing that it also could include an obsessive anticipation for
meals. Stephen goes into great detail in the beginning of the chapter about
what he is having for dinner that night and goes into a daydream in the
middle of class.
❖ Also, Thomas Aquinas was a theologian who created the three universal
qualities of beauty that Stephen references while explaining his own
theories: wholeness, harmony, and radiance. These three theories are what
artists think about while analyzing their own work, which can be a symbol
for the title A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man because this is how
Joyce saw himself, and while he was writing he analyzed his life by looking
at the wholeness, harmony, and radiance of each aspect.
Milton’s Paradise Lost
❖ Paradise Lost is about Adam and Eve - how they were
created and how they lost their place in the Garden of
Eden, also called Paradise. It also includes a story on the
origin of Satan, originally called Lucifer, an angel in
heaven who led an army against God, eventually
bringing them all down to hell with him. His thirst for
revenge led him to cause man’s downfall by turning into
a serpent and tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.
The Biblical Story of Jonah
❖ God commands Jonah to preach repentance to his city. Jonah did not take
this commandment very well, so he did the opposite of what he was told.
He went down to the seaport of Joppa and booked a ship away from his
city of Ninevah. The Bible tells us that Jonah “ran away from the Lord.”
Because of this, he got stuck in a whale for three days and was not freed
until he repented.
❖ Before Stephen confesses, he begins to doubt himself and thinks about
escaping his confession. He is trapped in “Hell” for three days until he
repents of his sins and confessions, and through confessions he begins to
be free from condemnation.
➢ “He could still leave the chapel. He could stand up, put one foot before
the other and walk out softly and then run, run, run swiftly through
the dark streets. He could still escape from the shame.” (pg. 148)
The Descent of Christ into
Hell
❖ After Stephen confesses his sins, he feels a sense of rebirth and suddenly
the tone changes from negative to positive.
➢ “Another life! A life of graces and virtue and happiness! It was true. It
was not a dream from which he would wake. The past was past.” (pg.
152)
❖ In The Bible, when Christ was crucified, he took on the sins of the people
and went to Hell for them. After three days he was resurrected and reborn.
Similar to Christ, Stephen was in his own mental state of Hell for three
days and was suddenly rebirthed and felt a sense of renewal and
happiness.
The Function of Chapter Three in
Joyce’s Chiasmic Structure
❖ “There was still time. O Mary, refuge of sinners, intercede him! O Virgin Undefiled, save him
from the gulf of death!” (pg 132)
❖ Leading up to this the priest talked about the physical tortures of hell, like the smell, the amount
of fire, and the intensity, and the bodies all piled on top of each other leaving no room to move
which prompted the epiphany.
❖ Leading up to the epiphany Stephen felt increasingly hopeless and damned to eternal hellfire,
but after, he began to decline in that feeling as he realized that confession could be the key to
salvation.
Discussion Questions
❖ What is the big turning point for Stephen
and how does the tone of the story change
after this?
❖ What/who brings about Stephen’s epiphany?
❖ At what point in the chapter does the story
begin to reflect itself and what sparks that
transition?
❖ What ultimately leads Stephen to confess?
❖ What role does time play in the story?