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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ,. Chapter 2. Tone: Shift From Triumph to Truth. -Tone shifts to depressing -Uncle Charles “smoked such black twist...” made to go outside to smoke (41)
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, • Chapter 2
Tone: Shift From Triumph to Truth • -Tone shifts to depressing • -Uncle Charles “smoked such black twist...” made to go outside to smoke (41) • - He replies in disjointed syntax indicating a resigned tone: “Very good, Simon. All serene, Simon...” • -theme of isolation and humiliation begins: Uncle Charles “creased and brushed scrupulously his black hair…” before retiring every morning to the outhouse (41)
Changes in the World • Mike Flynn: track coach who is out of shape (42) – juxtaposition of stereotype and reality; all are not always best example of selves- poor choices can be made • Met many male and female influences • Not able to afford Clongowes: “For some time he had felt the slight change in the house; and those changes in what he had deemed unchangeable were so many slight shocks to his boyish conception of the world” (44) • Dreams of finding the “unsubstantial image” in the real world that would cause him to release “weakness”, “timidity” and “inexperience” (44-45) • Move to Dublin proper to cheaper housing: “red eyed mother”; “his father had enemies”; “father states: “We’re not dead yet, sonny” (47) • Concerns of growing financial deterioration begin here
Perspective • Father Conmee recounts Stephen's triumph with his glasses (50) • Different tone: father makes light and is somewhat amused instead of what the reader makes as initially sympathetic • Demonstrates that the reader is responsible to interpret the text, and all is not as it seems • But, Father helps with scholarship to Belvedere College: prestigious
Stephen notably intellectual and a class leader at Belvedere College • He still remains aloof to some extent • Begins a rivalry with: Vincent Heron (53-58)
Sarcastic: mocks that Stephen doesn't smoke (53) • -Both were the "virtual heads of the school" (53) • -Vincent noticed Stephen and Mabel: "Admit" • Mr. Tate claims Stephen had heresy in his essay • -They throw him up against a fence having him "admit" that he liked what would we considered sub-par authors: mocking ; not angry at them (57) • Stephen's response to quarrelsome situations (58) - mistrusted turbulence and doubted turbulent of manhood • “The Girl” was not watching him in the play and "pride and hope and desire like crushed herbs in his heart sent up vapors of maddening incense"(60)
Juxtaposed to Stephen's success at school is the Trip to cork to sell property which illuminates the financial strain the family is in (60) • Uncle Charles has passed away (61) • TONE: page 61 • Stephen likes the song his dad plays: why? • discovers father's drinker competitiveness with his son and the rift is causes between them (65) • Disdains to hear about father's dead friends • Simon's advice (64): " wearied and dejected by his father's voice" (65) • Father was "the boldest flirt" and went from "bar to bar" when his property was sold • Parallels introduced between father and son's handling of money (67); “…his mind seemed older than theirs…” • Stephen squanders the prize money of 33 pounds ($5000) (68) • Feels estranged and alienated from his family (69) • Stephen passively experiences sexual encounter with a Dublin prostitute as a detached artist might: "His blood was in revolt" (70-71)