Introduction
James Joyce is a renowned Irish writer whose short stories and novels, written according to the groundbreaking principles of modernist literature, have become globally known and appreciated. Among his many works, the novel entitled A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is one of the culminating pieces. In it, the author refers to such core themes as childhood and adulthood, self-perception, the role of art in life, and maturing. One of the most vivid characteristics of Joyce’s novels is their deep connection with psychology, where the author intertwines the conscious and unconscious into one text, representing the personality of a protagonist in dynamics.
For that matter, it is particularly relevant to investigate how the author managed to construct the main character’s development from the perspective of examining his childhood experiences impacting his adulthood. This paper will focus on the influence of childhood on the adult through the perspective of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytical theory. It is argued that the main character in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man develops a neurotically estranged creative personality in response to his childhood experiences of being an outcast.
Psychology and Modernism in Literature
Modernism as a movement in art is driven by the search for contemporary methods of expression via new means that change the old ones. In this regard, the literature of modernists like James Joyce becomes an expressive instrument where structural and stylistic experimentation allows for the writer’s broader and deeper expression of the main messages. It is especially effective in terms of investigating characters’ psychology at both conscious and unconscious levels.
According to Yimer, the connection between literature and psychology has specifically developed into an interdependence after the emergence of Freudian theories, which have allowed for more accurate and scientifically informed research of human personalities. Indeed, the scholar states that “literature is an important source of inspiration for the science of psychology, which tries to explain human emotions, behaviors, and mental processes from a scientific perspective” (Yimer 160). In this regard, literature allows for psychological research, and psychology provides effective tools and theories to analyze literary works at deeper levels, which allows for interpreting writers’ messages more accurately.
When discussing the connection between literature and psychology in more detail, one should focus on the relationship between psychoanalysis and modernism. Indeed, James Joyce wrote in his unique style, which was marked by his refusal to follow classically established rules and principles of writing, trying to invent new approaches instead (Nazri et al. 15). Such an approach was the stream of consciousness intertwined with inner dialogue, which allowed James Joyce to introduce a character from the inside of their personality.
In particular, “he projected the inner life of his protagonists concentrating on depicting their feelings, ideas, intuitions, and inner suffering,” focusing on the desires and dreams of the person (Nazri et al. 15). In such a manner, psychological aspects of the conscious and unconscious provide Joyce with the opportunities to depict his main character without referring to the description of his personality externally. Instead, the novelist allows readers to make their own interpretations based on the glimpses of his consciousness from his childhood to his adulthood.
Furthermore, the unstructured and often sporadic depiction of events in the novel serves as an attribute of realism and naturalism in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. It helps further emphasize the decisive role of feelings, emotions, desires, and patterns of interacting with the outer world in the form of behavior. Psychoanalytic literary analysis holds that “if literature is the expression of the author’s ‘persona,’ human behavior must be analyzed to find the interaction of the conscious and unconscious elements of the mind in it” (Yimer 163). Thus, the interaction between the unconscious and conscious mind allows for intertwining childhood and adulthood based on the theories of personality development, claiming that maturity’s core is based on childhood experiences.
Influence of Childhood on Maturation from a Psychological Perspective
The connection between early childhood experiences and adulthood has been repeatedly addressed in the psychological field. Indeed, apart from Freud, whose psychoanalytical theory laid a solid background for the interpretation of personality via childhood, this developmental aspect was claimed by Jung, whose views on personality maturation are relevant to this analysis. Jung’s theory of identity development posits that personality develops gradually, beginning in childhood.
Indeed, individuation is “a result of bringing the personal and collective unconscious into the conscious; it is a process of psychological differentiation, to develop the individual personality” (Yazdani and Ross 62). In this regard, Stephen’s developmental journey, as portrayed in the novel through his early memories as a toddler to his college years and his emergence as an artist, is an example of personality development. His maturation occurred under the influence of his relationships with family, peers, priests, and society at large, with its norms and rules.
Similarly, the theory of self-actualization, developed by Carl Rogers, contributes to the discussion of relationships between childhood and adulthood. It indicates that the process of self-actualization involves reaching one’s full potential by focusing experiences on the self (Yazdani and Ross 62). More specifically, “actualization involves the differentiation of organs and psychological functions and the development of autonomy, and the process of actualization is keenly sensitive to the subtle complexity of human differences” (Yazdani and Ross 62). The process of realizing one’s difference from others is particularly relevant to Stephen Dedalus’ maturation since his childhood experiences, when he perceived others as better than himself, marked his personality development trajectory for adulthood.
In one of the scenes where Stephen’s school encounters with bullies are described, one particular interaction vividly illustrates the perception of others as different from oneself. Indeed, when a peer named Wells mocks Stephen, asking whether he kisses his mother before going to bed, Stephen answers positively, and everybody laughs at him; then he answers negatively, and they laugh again (Joyce 13-14).
In the text, the feelings of the boy are described as follows: “He felt his whole body hot and confused in a moment. What was the right answer to the question? He had given two, and still Wells laughed. But Wells must know the right answer for he was in a third of grammar” (Joyce 14). This episode illustrates that Stephen doubts himself by comparing his personality to others, thinking he is worse than his peers. Such self-perception has contributed to his maturation process from the perspective of maximizing his uniqueness through perfectionism and detachment in his adult life, which is discussed in the next section of the paper.
Stephen’s Neurotic Perfectionist Personality Development Based on Childhood Experiences
Based on the psychoanalytical theoretical implications, Stephen’s adult self-actualization as an artist who defies his ancestry, cultural background, and ties with social norms is the manifestation of a neurotic personality. Such a claim is developed on the basis of the self-estrangement or alienation theory proposed by Melvin Seeman, who argued that “the hostility and detachment that an individual demonstrates in response to other people and society as a whole develops a detached personality” (Farahmandian and Shao 25). Stephen’s adult personality was particularly impacted by the detachment he developed in his childhood in response to bullying and being a misfit. Indeed, in his recollections on religion and art, he demonstrates a significant emphasis on eliminating imperfections and striving for exceptional performance. For example, the main character’s reflection on his feelings in Chapter 4 of the novel is presented as follows:
It surprised him, however, to find that at the end of his course of intricate piety and self-restraint, he was so easily at the mercy of childish and unworthy imperfections. His prayers and fasts availed him little for the suppression of anger at hearing his mother sneeze or at being disturbed in his devotions. It needed an immense effort of his will to master the impulse that urged him to give an outlet to such irritation. (Joyce 254-255).
In this piece, the protagonist’s perception of himself from a critical perspective is facilitated by his overall opposition to others whom he considers worse than himself. As an artist, he proclaims his uniqueness and difference from others as his virtue and value, which is why he maximizes the aspects of his personality that differentiate him from the rest, whom he views from above (Farahmandian and Shao 25). He denies any mentorship, authority, or examples to follow, instead establishing a neurotic personality that is absorbed in his self-perceived perfection. The roots of such a developmental pattern might be found in the psychological examination of Stephen’s childhood experiences.
Apart from being an outcast at school, feeling isolated, uncertain, and self-doubting, he was exposed to the constraints of society that he encountered as a child. Indeed, as stated by Farahmandian and Shao, Stephen’s neurotic personality originated from frustrations triggered by his family, religious, and social interaction, which have impacted his prioritization of intellectual and artistic self-actualization, denying social norms (25). Furthermore, the main reason whyStephen demonstrates self-estrangement as an adult through creativity and striving for perfectionism is “rooted in his need for perfection and self-sufficiency and his struggle with constraints in life” (Farahmandian and Shao 25). Thus, the manifestations of a neurotic personality in adult Stephen originated in his early childhood, which supports the main argument of this paper. At the same time, the theory of self-estrangement allows for a deeper psychoanalytical investigation of Stephen’s psychological defense mechanisms that will be addressed further.
Stephen Dedalus’ Estrangement as a Defense Mechanism Acquired in Childhood
From the very beginning of the novel, the fundamental aspects of the protagonist’s personality are depicted in a way that allows for investigating their impact on Stephen’s behavior in adulthood. Indeed, the opening scene shows little Stephen in his family circle, where he hid under the table as if to avoid the company of his parents and aunt (Joyce 2). His desire to hide from others was not resolved by his family but further escalated by using fear as a controlling and commanding tool.
Indeed, in order to persuade Stephen to come out from under the table, his Aunt Dante says that if he does not come out and apologize, “the eagles will come and pull out his eyes” (Joyce 2). Such experiences were repetitive in Stephen’s early childhood and his school years, where he felt ashamed, unworthy, weak, and not enough to comply with the requirements of the family, society, school, and peers. In the process of his maturation, he repeatedly chooses the tactics of escaping the challenges of fitting the social environment, thus protecting himself.
Here is a quotation from the beginning of Chapter 1 that vividly illustrates the methods of escaping the burden of his emotions caused by the discouraging social environment Stephen acquired in his childhood:
“He wanted to cry. He leaned his elbows on the table and shut and opened the flaps of his ears. Then he heard the noise of the refectory every time he opened the flaps of his ears. It made a roar like a train at night. And when he closed the flaps, the roar was shut off like a train going into a tunnel. That night at Dalkey, the train had roared like that, and then, when it went into the tunnel, the roar stopped. He closed his eyes, and the train went on, roaring and then stopping, roaring again, stopping. It was nice to hear it roar and stop, and then roar out of the tunnel again and then stop.” (Joyce 12).
This quote demonstrates that the mechanisms of defense Stephen learned in his childhood were based on his intentional isolation from the oppressive surroundings and distraction of himself, using silence as a way to escape his negative feelings. In this episode, it is demonstrated that when he wanted to cry, he merely closed his ears, which transformed into a similar defense mechanism in his adulthood when he intentionally closed himself off from the surroundings. The attempts to silence the outer world in order to protect himself transformed into his further self-actualization as an artist who isolates himself from a society that does not comply with his views.
The protagonist intentionally uses his introversion as a self-defense mechanism, which he acquired in his childhood. In his conversation with Cranly, Stephen states, “I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use – silence, exile, and cunning” (Joyce 134). On the one hand, some scholars claim that such self-actualization and refusal to comply with society is a form of Stephen’s spiritual liberation. Indeed, in his childhood, “the young Dedalus was presented by Joyce as small and weak, not good at games, bullied constantly by bigger boys, unable to understand their jokes and teasing, and desperately homesick” (Nazri et al. 17).
However, according to Nazri et al., such confusion of his identity transformed into Stephen’s liberation from nationality, religion, and social ties in his adulthood (17). Nonetheless, one might claim that the process of Stephen’s personality development was not a liberation but rather a transformation of the same protective mechanisms where he finds his personality’s uniqueness in isolation and estrangement. Similarly, the protagonist is estranged from women, with whom he fails to develop healthy relationships in adulthood due to childhood issues.
Stephen Dedalus’ Oedipus Complex
Another vivid example of the connections between childhood and adulthood is the psychoanalytical theory of the development of the Oedipus complex in childhood, which might have a negative impact on adult personality. According to this theory, a child reaching a genital stage of development enters a phase of interaction with parents where they compete for the attention of a parent of the opposite sex. As stated by Ping, “the Oedipus complex derives from the boy’s unconscious rivalry with his father for the love of his mother” (53). Indeed, Stephen’s perception of his mother as a preferable figure in the family is demonstrated by his accounts of her having a nice smell and beautiful smile (Joyce 2-3). The boy notices her artistic preferences and nice personality, contrary to the father’s figure, who is perceived as a man with a hairy face and less preferred than the mother (Joyce 2-3).
The boy’s childhood bond with his mother is transparent in the text, where the mother comes to Stephen’s mind in the moments when he needs comfort and care. She is referenced for emotional expression, which was present in his reflection on his artistic imperfections as an adult and his encounters with peers at school (Joyce 134). Such a continuous presence of the mother in Stephen’s consciousness and subconsciousness is explained by his Oedipus complex, meaning a strong emotional connection with his mother.
Furthermore, an important aspect of the Oedipus complex is the sexual connotation of the connection with one’s mother. For Stephen, his implied childhood perception of his mother in a sexualized form might be found in his recollection of her playing the sailor’s hornpipe and “putting on the oil sheet” (Joyce 2). According to Ping, these images of a hornpipe and oilseed have sexual connotations (55).
In particular, the scholar claims that the mention of a horn launches “the chain of sexual associations” because ‘horn’ is “one of the battery of phallic synonyms” (Ping 55). In adulthood, when Stephen fails to form meaningful relationships with women and visits prostitutes, he feels strong guilt, which ultimately shapes his estrangement from religion (Joyce 115-119). Thus, the manifestations of his childhood attachment to his mother influenced his adult experiences with women who represent his mother figure.
Conclusion
To summarize, the novel by James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, is a vivid example of a modernist literary work filled with psychological aspects of human personality development. Portraying the protagonist’s maturation journey from early childhood to adulthood, Joyce implicitly demonstrates the many levels of childhood’s influence on adulthood. The application of the psychoanalytic theory and the approaches to self-actualization and self-estrangement allowed for investigating the relationship between childhood and maturity.
Indeed, Stephen’s maturation process was impacted by his early experience of his difference from others. Similarly, his frustration and uncertainty due to bullying and non-compliance with society’s requirements led to his neurotic personality development, which transformed into self-estranged introverted perfectionism in adulthood. Isolation and silence used as self-defense in childhood are preserved by Stephen as an adult. Finally, his childhood Oedipus complex impacted his unsuccessful relationships with women in his adulthood. Thus, the analysis of this theme in Joyce’s novel allows for stating that Stephen’s adult personality was formed under the impact of his childhood experiences.
Works Cited
Farahmandian, Hamid, and Lu Shao. “Stephen’s neurotic self-estrangement: A case study of James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” Journal of European Studies, vol. 52, no. 1, 2022, pp. 24-35.
Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Project Gutenberg, 2021.
Nazri, Mutasim Yasin Mohammad Mahadin Mohd, et al.”Modernism in Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artists as a Young Man.” Journal of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, vol. 54, 2019, pp. 15-21.
Ping, Chen. “Flying beyond the Nets – Comparison Study between Paul in Sons and Lovers and Stephen in A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man.” Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, vol. 2, no. 3, 2019, pp. 51-60.
Yazdani, Saeed, and Stephen Ross. “Carl Rogers’ Notion of “Self-actualization” in Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” 3L: Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 2019, pp. 61-73.
Yimer, Daniel Mengistie. “On the Interaction Between Literature and Psychology.” IEEE-SEM, vol. 7, no. 8, 2019, pp. 155-167.