Not only is A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man a long title, it is a lot to ponder. Never have I been so confused, intrigued, fascinated and frustrated with a book before. I am especially frustrated with my Big Question because how does it relate to Portrait?
Perhaps Joyce is heroic in his speech and thought that is both bold and dramatic. To me it doesn't seem that dramatic, but to the characters it's world-shaking.
Maybe being bold is one of the key characteristics every hero must posses. Bold enough to stand in the face of adversary, bold enough to know when to take a life or give it. When to speak, and when to stay silent. Bold people are the catalysts for change. They are not afraid of what is necessarily "right" or "moral" or "true" and are not boxed in by opinions. Seeing how Portrait was received when it was first released speaks volumes of its heroic abilities. It showed that people needed to be rescued from their rigid thinking. Though the youth received the book very well because they could relate to Stephen's struggles with self-worth, guilt, and the idea of beauty, adults did not look upon the book with such admiration. He was highly criticized for his unconventional writing style that lacks restraint and form. It was a bold move for Joyce to move away from traditional writing and create a masterpiece purely from the heart. Autobiographical novels that probe the heart and bring incredible realism to every young man and woman's struggle.
The true heroism of Portrait does not lie in the plot or the characters, but the mere fact it was written. Such a step was necessary to society because it opened doors for future literary works such as Beloved, and revealed an entirely new medium of literature.
