In class, we talked in depth about Stephen’s
fascination with sin. However, what struck me the most is his conviction that
he is the only person ever to have
such horrible thoughts (A teenage boy? Thinking about sex? The unimaginable
horror!). Having grown up in modern liberal America, this idea is strangely
funny to me. We constantly hear about “raging teenage hormones” and “sex-positivity”
and the like, and we hear about this stuff from friends, from culture/the
internet, and from adults. In Stephen’s world, not only is the subject much
more taboo but he rarely seems to take interest in what others could say to
him.
We get such little insight into
Stephen’s peers’ interactions. Do they experience a similar sense of isolation?
After the “hellfire” sermon in chapter
3, they seem to be much less affected than Stephen. Of course, they may not
have as much reason to feel guilty as he does, but still the sermon seems to reach
him in a much deeper way. His classmates shrug it off by joking with each
other, but Stephen has no one to joke with. This kind of friendly conversation
serves as a way for classmates to keep each other grounded, to remind each
other to lighten up – exactly the kind of thing Stephen has trouble grasping.
My question is this: Does Stephen stay away from his
classmates because he feels superior to them, or is it the other way around: does
he only think he’s so special because
he’s never gotten close enough to anyone to find out otherwise? It’s definitely
clear that Stephen is different from
his peers to some degree. He’s certainly more serious. Still, his self-imposed
isolation seems to reinforce this difference, making it a vicious cycle.
I think that there are definite differences between Stephen and his classmates, but I think that it is important to keep in mind that we know a lot about Stephen but not much about his classmates. We are constantly in Stephen's mind and know what he is thinking about. While this is all the Stephen knows, it is quite likely that the other boys are all having the same thoughts. The other boys are probably thinking about Stephen in the same way, none of his thoughts are displayed externally to the other boys. So they have the same view of him, that he has never contemplated sinning and strictly follows church doctrine.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting way to think about Stephen's relationships. I think that it is probably a mix of both Stephen thinking he is different and superior and also him not talking to people as a result of that.
ReplyDeleteI think this idea is where a lot of Stephen's lack of ability to empathize came from, which in my mind is why he has so much trouble not judging others. I thought you did a good job of offering this question, it certainly made me think about it again.
ReplyDeleteDublin in the 1890s certainly does seem pretty remote from some aspects of contemporary American culture when it comes to teen sexuality. But you might be surprised by how similar Holden's experience as a young man in the 1940s and Esther's (the narrator of _The Bell Jar_) experience as a young woman in the 1950s resembles this repressed, repressive late-Victorian culture Joyce depicts. One thing that distinguished these novels (and made them controversial) when they were first published was their depiction of characters who are damaged by the moralism and sexual repression in their society--the fact that they *don't* talk about this stuff in any informed or critical way leads to all kinds of hangups and stunted character development.
ReplyDeleteI think Stephen is unique in the way he thinks about things and the extent to which he sins. I think that these qualities make it hard for him to interact with others, which is what made him isolate himself.
ReplyDeleteComing back to this, I'd like to correct my statement that he isolates himself. I think this is what isolates him. *
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteComing back again, I think that Stephen's isolation had a part in making him who he is. Cycle is definitely the right word because he would not be so different if he had been closer with the fellows early on. And at that point I don't think he stayed away from them, I think they just did not mesh.
ReplyDelete