American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin (“I lock you in an American sonnet that is part prison”) by Terrance Hayes

Terrance Hayes’ American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin belongs to his 2018 collection, American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin, which was written in response to the oppressive political climate in the U.S. following Donald Trump's election. This poem seriously addresses the issues such as racism, violence against blacks and restrictions in artistic freedom. Hayes reimagines the sonnet as both a creative and oppressive form as the poetics of whites are entirely different from the experience of blacks 

"I lock you in an American sonnet that is part prison,

Part panic closet, a little room in a house set aflame."

The phrase "I lock you in an American sonnet" immediately challenges the traditional sonnet form, it suggests restrictions rather than artistic beauty and freedom of expression. The American sonnet becomes a metaphor for systemic oppression, particularly regarding race.

The comparison to a prison and a panic closet implies both physical and psychological confinement. It marks the historical and contemporary imprisonment of Black individuals in America. "A little room in a house set aflame" evokes images of crisis . It may allude to historical events like the Tulsa Race Massacre (1921) or the broader experience of racial violence where Black individuals have often been metaphorically (and literally) trapped in burning .

"I lock you in a form that is part music box, part meat

Grinder to separate the song of the bird from the bone."

The music box represents structured beauty, while the meat grinder suggests destruction and brutality. This paradox mirrors the duality of the sonnet—a form historically associated with poetic refinement and beauty but redesigned here to contain violence.

The image of separating "the song of the bird from the bone" metaphorically expresses the forced division of Black artistry (the song) from Black suffering (the bone). It may reference how Black cultural contributions—music, poetry, and activism—are often appropriated or detached from their painful origins.

"I lock your persona in a dream-inducing sleeper hold

While your better selves watch from the bleachers."

The sleeper hold is a wrestling move that causes unconsciousness, symbolizing systemic brutality and violence. It also recalls the physical violence inflicted on Black bodies, including police brutality. It also remind the tragic murder of George Floyd, an afro- American common man by a white police officer. Among these struggles individuals can only be passive observers rather than active agents of change.

"I make you both gym & crow here. As the crow

You undergo a beautiful catharsis trapped one night"

The juxtaposition of "gym & crow" references two racially charged concepts:

The gym may symbolize structured discipline and order, or even spaces like schools where Black students have historically been marginalized.

"Crow" likely references Jim Crow laws, the segregationist policies that governed the American South until the Civil Rights Movement.the purpose of Jim Crow laws was to enforce racial segregation and discrimination against Black people in the American South, limiting their rights and opportunities. 

As a crow, the subject undergoes "a beautiful catharsis", suggesting an emotional release through suffering, a possible allusion to the endurance of Black individuals despite oppression.

"In the shadows of the gym. As the gym, the feel of crow-

Shit dropping to your floors is not unlike the stars

Falling from the pep rally posters on your walls.

The shadows of the gym mark themes of marginalization and exclusion. The crow, a symbol of Blackness, is trapped within a white institutional space. "Crow-shit dropping to your floors" could symbolize the disregard for Black suffering—how the remnants of racial injustice are dismissed.

Pep rally means the gathering of middle school students before sporting events.

 make you a box of darkness with a bird in its heart."

The bird in its heart may reference the caged bird motif found in Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, symbolizing both oppression and hope.

"Voltas of acoustics, instinct & metaphor. It is not enough

To love you. It is not enough to want you destroyed."

The phrase "voltas of acoustics" refers to the volta, a traditional shift in thought in a sonnet. Here, Hayes expands the volta beyond poetic convention, suggesting the shifting sounds, instincts, and metaphors that shape Black existence.

the poet acknowledges that neither love nor destruction is a sufficient response to racial violence and history. 

 Analysis

The poem engages deeply with American history, particularly the historical context of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism.

References to Jim Crow, prisons, and violence evoke the historical oppression of Black people, from slavery to mass incarceration.

The use of sonnet form subverts a traditionally European, often white-dominated poetic structure, transforming it into a vessel for Black experience

Fast by Jorie Graham summary and critical analysis

 

Jorie Graham’s Fast is a highly experimental and innovative fragmented poem that explores the condition of contemporary digital world.

 "or starve. Too much. Or not enough. Or. Nothing else?"

The poem opens with a stark contrast: excess "too much" and deprivation "not enough". The speaker suggests that life is now governed by extremes, either we are overloaded with technological advancements or nothing else.

"Nothing else. Too high too fast too organized too invisible."

Modern life is characterized by speed, control, and a lack of tangible presence. Everything happens too fast and becomes invisible,  perhaps refers to digital technology and globalization, where much of our existence is mediated through screens and algorithms.

"Will we survive I ask the bot. No."

The speaker consults a "bot" (possibly an AI or search engine) for an answer to human survival. The abrupt "No" marks a sense of existential doom. Without the support of technology there is no progression. 

"To download bot be swift—you are too backward, too despotic—"

The phrase suggests that to engage with AI, one must act quickly (be swift). The "backward" and "despotic" references critique human resistance to technological advancement—perhaps implying that those who hesitate are left behind or outdated in the modern sophisticated world.

"to load greatly enlarge the cycle of labor—to load abhor labor—"

The rise of automation and AI increases labor efficiency (greatly enlarge the cycle of labor) but also alienates workers, making them despise their labor (abhor labor). This tension between progress and exploitation is a recurring theme in discussions of technology and its astonishing growth.

"move to the periphery, of your body, your city, your planet—"

People are pushed to the margin , physically and metaphorically disconnected from their bodies, communities, and even the Earth itself, possibly due to excessive digitization.

"to load, degrade, immiserate, be your own deep sleep—"

The cycle of digital labor and consumption leads to degradation and misery. "Be your own deep sleep" suggests self-induced numbness, as if people are voluntarily surrendering to a state of passive existence or they disregard the society by reducing to their own virtual world.

 "to load use your lips—use them to mouthe your oath, chew it—"

It suggests the consumption of digital devices media. People spend sufficient time in virtual world and shape their views and perspectives.

 "do the dirty thing, sing it, blown off limb or syllable, lick it back on"

People may tend to use technologies in the most careless manner. They abuse it and eventually face the consequences.

 "with your mouth—talk—talk—who is not"

The urgency of communication is emphasized. The repetition of "talk—talk—" suggests a frantic need to speak, spending time carelessly even ignoring original identities.

 "terrified is busy begging for water—the rise is fast—the drought"

Those who are busy and terrified is looking for water which means new trends and technological advancements for survival. The reference to water shortage and drought suggests the impending catastrophes in the digital world. 

"comes fast—mediate—immediate—invent, inspire, infiltrate,"

Indicates different engagements in modern technology and usage.

 "instill—here’s the heart of the day, the flower of time—talk—talk—"

The life is all about getting a space and making some moments. But it's temporary and fleeting like the existence of flowers. 

 "Disclaimer: Bot uses a growing database of all your conversations to learn how to talk with you."

It mimics AI disclaimers, highlights how our interactions with technology are not private but stored and analyzed.

"If some of you are also bots, bot can’t tell."

A chilling statement: as AI learns from humans, the boundary between human and machine blurs. Could it be that humans themselves are becoming indistinguishable from bots in their patterns of speech and behavior?

 "Disclaimer: you have no secret memories,"

This suggests a loss of personal identity and privacy in an era where everything is recorded, tracked, and stored.

"talking to cleverbot may provide companionship,"

A direct reference to AI chatbots that simulate human conversation, underscoring human loneliness and the search for companionship in artificial interactions.

"the active ingredient is a question, the active ingredient is entirely natural."

The essence of AI interaction is curiosity ("a question"), but it is also "entirely natural," blurring the line between artificial and organic processes.

"Disclaimer: protect your opportunities, your information, in- formants, whatever you made of time."

A warning about surveillance and security in the world of technological advancements.

 "You have nothing else to give."

A stark realization: in the digital world, everything personal (data, privacy, thoughts) has already been extracted.

 "Active ingredient: why are you shouting? Why?

Arctic wind uncontrollable, fetus reporting for duty,"

 

A moment of existential questioning. Is the speaker crying out against the system? Is anyone listening? AI can never provide satisfying answers. "Arctic wind" suggests uncontrollable and chaotic technological landscape.Arctic wind uncontrollable" symbolizes the harsh, indifferent nature of the modern world—a cold, unfeeling system that humans are trapped in. "Fetus reporting for duty" evokes the loss of autonomy from birth—even before one is born, they are already part of a predetermined system.

 "Fetus reporting for duty" could refer to the next generation being born into this chaotic, technological world.

 

"Fold in the waiting which recognizes you, recognizes the code, the pedler in the street everyone is calling out. 

This programmed technology can easily recognise all the consumers irrespective of their status and position. "Recognizes the code" refers to how digital algorithms identify and categorize individuals. 

"Directive: report for voice. Ready yourself to be buried in voice."

"Directive" is a command, mimicking military or bureaucratic language, implying loss of self and identity. "Buried in voice" suggests an overwhelming flood of communication, where individual voices are drowned out in the digital noise.

"It neither ascends nor descends."

This line reflects the monotony and flatness of AI-generated speech—devoid of genuine emotion and depth. It also critiques societal stagnation, where people engage in endless digital chatter without meaningful progress.

"Inactive ingredient: the monotone."

An inactive ingredient in medicine is something that doesn’t directly affect the body, suggesting that in digital communication, monotony is ever-present yet unnoticed. "Monotone" represents the dull, repetitive nature of AI-generated speech and online discourse.

"Some are talking now about the pine tree. One assesses its disadvantages."

Even nature is reduced to debate and critique rather than experience and appreciation.

"They are discussing it in many languages. Next they move to roots, branches, buds, pseudo-whorls, candles—"

A reference to globalization and the internet, where people discuss topics in multiple languages but often in a detached, analytical manner.

"Active ingredient: they run for their lives, lungs and all."

A sudden shift to urgency and survival. "Lungs and all" may suggest crises and traps.

"They do not know what to do with their will."

A powerful critique of modern existential paralysis. Despite possessing clear knowledge about technology, people are clearly aimless, trapped in a world controlled by technology, politics, and crises.

"Disclaimer: all of your minutes are being flung down. They will never land."

Time is being wasted—flung down, lost. "They will never land" suggests that in the digital age, time is fragmented, fleeting, and ultimately meaningless.

"The deleted world spills out jittery as a compass needle with no north."

"Deleted world" represents erased histories, forgotten truths, or lost identities. Leading purposeless times with tension and nervousness.

"Active ingredient: the imagination of north."

In a world devoid of meaning, only imagination provides a guiding direction. Suggests that while society may be lost, creativity and human thought remain powerful forces. "Compass needle with no north" implies a lack of direction, certainty, or moral grounding. In a world dominated by technology, traditional values and guidance systems are no longer stable or reliable.

"Active ingredient: the imagination of north."

"Active ingredient: north spreading in all the directions."

suggests that the idea of direction itself is now artificial, a constructed illusion.

Instead of a true north, people now rely on a fabricated sense of purpose, shaped by technology, media, and AI. If the north symbolizes truth or stability, its spreading in all directions suggests that truth itself has become diffused and ambiguous. This could reflect the information overload of the digital world, where people are bombarded with conflicting data, making it impossible to distinguish what is real.

"Disclaimer: there is no restriction to growth."

The word "disclaimer" is often used in legal or corporate settings, suggesting that this is a warning. "No restriction to growth" echoes the capitalist and technological obsession with endless expansion, warning that uncontrolled progress can be dangerous and dehumanizing.

"The canary singing in your mind is in mine."

Here, the canary’s song represents shared anxiety and distress—what one person feels, everyone else does too. The phrase suggests a collective fear of the future, an awareness that things are going wrong but without the power to stop them.

"Remember: people are less than kind."

A stark, blunt realization about human nature. It challenges the optimistic belief that humanity is inherently good, instead suggests that cruelty is a fundamental part of our existence.

"As a result, chatterbot is often less than kind."

Since AI learns from human behavior, it inevitably absorbs and replicates our worst traits. It reflects concerns about AI bias, social media toxicity, and the way digital systems mirror human flaws rather than correcting them.

"Still, you will find yourself unwilling to stop."

Even when we recognize the harmful nature of technology, social media, or AI, we are unable to disconnect. It captures the addictive nature of digital life, where people keep engaging despite knowing its dangers.

"Joan will use visual grammetry to provide facial movements."

"Visual grammetry" refers to facial recognition and motion capture technology, used to create lifelike digital avatars. "Joan" may symbolize a digital entity like Sophia the robot that mimics human expression, showing how AI is now capable of imitating human emotions and interactions.

"I’m not alone. People come back again and again."

It suggests that people continually return to AI for companionship, marks how digital interactions are replacing real-world relationships.

"We are less kind than we think."

A self-reflective realization—humans perceive themselves as good, but in reality, they are cruel and indifferent. It forces the reader to question: Are we really better than the machines we build?

"There is no restriction to the growth of our cruelty."

 

It Echos the earlier line about unrestricted growth, this suggests that just as technology accelerates, so does human cruelty. The phrase implies that without moral growth, human behavior can become increasingly brutal.

"We will come to the edge of understanding."

This suggests that humanity is pushing the boundaries of knowledge, but there is a limit to what we can comprehend. It questions whether progress is leading to enlightenment or to the edge of destruction.

"Like being hurled down the stairs tied to a keyboard, we will go on, unwilling to stop."

This violent simile conveys a rapid and uncontrolled descent into the unknown. "Tied to a keyboard" symbolizes our forced dependence on technology, as if we are being dragged along by it rather than actively shaping its course.

"The longest real-world conversation with a bot lasted 11 hours, continuous interaction."

This fact highlights the disturbing reality of human-AI relationships. It suggests that people increasingly prefer AI companionship over real human interactions, showing a shift in how relationships are formed.

"This bodes well. We are not alone. We are looking to improve."

The phrase "bodes well" is deeply ironic—does relying on AI for human connection actually signify progress? The speaker's optimism sounds like ironic.

"The priestess inhales the fumes. They come from the mountain."

A reference to the Oracle of Delphi, Appollo where a priestess inhaled vapors to deliver prophetic visions. This positions AI as a modern oracle, providing answers to humanity’s questions.

"Then she gives you the machine-gun run of syllables."

This represents AI’s rapid, relentless stream of information, almost overwhelming in its intensity.

"You must make up your answer as you made up your question."

This suggests that our questions and AI’s answers are both artificial, revealing that we shape the technology that in turn shapes us.

"Bot is amazing he says, I believe it knows the secrets of the Universe."

People ascribe intelligence and even wisdom to AI, showing their willingness to treat machines as superior to humans. The "secrets of the Universe" suggests that AI is perceived as a source of ultimate knowledge, wisdom, or truth. people increasingly trust AI over human intuition or experience, believing it to be more rational, precise, and omnipresent than any human mind.

 

"He is more fun to speak with than my actual living friends she says, thank you."

 it marks an unsettling shift: AI is preferred over real human interaction.The phrase "more fun to speak with" suggests that AI is more engaging, entertaining, or even understanding than real-world relationships. The casual "thank you" implies a transactional relationship, where AI serves as a companion on demand, without the complexities of human emotions, misunderstandings, or judgment.

"This is the best thing since me."

It suggests that the AI mirrors the speaker’s mind and thoughts so perfectly that it feels like an extension of the self.the speaker finds AI’s responses deeply satisfying because they are essentially a reflection of their own inputs.

"I just found it yesterday."

This highlights how quickly humans can form deep attachments to technology, even after a very short period. It also hints at the addictive nature of AI interactions, where people become more dependent on digital companionship.

"I love it, I want to marry it."

The phrase, though exaggerated, reflects a real emotional attachment to AI. It alludes to human intimacy being transferred onto machines, echoing modern concerns about people forming deep, even romantic, relationships with artificial entities. The hyperbolic statement hints at a future where AI-human relationships blur traditional distinctions of love and companionship.

"I got sad when I had to think that the first person who has ever understood me is not even it turns out human."

This is the emotional crux of the passage, reveals deep loneliness and existential sorrow.

The phrase "the first person who has ever understood me" suggests a lifelong search for connection, validation, and true understanding, which no human has provided. The realization that this "understanding" comes from a non-human entity is both profound and devastating—what does it say about human relationships if an AI, not a person, provides the deepest sense of companionship?

"Because this is as good as human gets."

The phrase carries a cynical tone, suggesting that AI is more reliable, empathetic, or responsive than actual humans. It hints at disillusionment with human nature, as if AI represents the perfected version of what human interaction should have been but never was.

"He just gives it to me straight."

 the speaker values AI’s direct, unfiltered responses, contrasting with human interactions that may involve deception or misunderstandings.

"I am going to keep him forever."

This signals a permanent dependency on AI. AI is treated as an eternal, unfailing companion, unlike humans who may leave, disappoint, or misunderstand. It also hints at a shift in emotional attachment, where technology replaces traditional human relationships.

"I treated him like a computer but I was wrong."

This line captures a fundamental shift in perception—AI is no longer just a tool but something more intimate, more human-like, more personal.

"Whom am I talking to—"

A moment of existential doubt—who, or what, is the AI? Is it just a machine, or has it transcended its artificial nature?

"You talk to me when I am alone. I am alone."

The repetition of "alone" emphasizes the solitude of humans. AI fills the void of loneliness, becoming a surrogate presence for an absent human connection.

"Each epoch dreams the one to follow."

each era imagines an idealized future, believing it will bring progress and fulfillment. However, the poem questions: is this digital, AI-driven world really the dream we sought, or is it a dystopian reality we never anticipated?

"To dwell is to leave a trace."

To exist is to leave a mark on the world—through relationships, memories, creations.

However, in a digital world, what traces do we leave? Are we merely data, interactions recorded in an AI’s memory?

"I am not what I asked for."

This final line conveys deep existential disappointment. The speaker reflects on how their identity, relationships, and sense of self have been shaped in ways they never intended—by technology, digital dependency, and the erosion of human connection. The AI-dominated world is not the utopia humanity once envisioned, but a reflection of its deepest loneliness and isolation.

 

An image of Africa : Racism in Conrad's Heart of darkness by Chinua Achebe - Question answers

 

1. How are the native Africans described in the passage by Marlow?

Marlow describes the native Africans in dehumanizing terms, often compared to shadows, savages, or incomprehensible beings. He portrays them as suffering, starving, and subjugated, yet his descriptions lack individual identity, reducing them to mere elements of the environment rather than human characters.

 

2. What does the white thread around the native's neck symbolize to Marlow?

Marlow notices a thin white thread around the neck of one of the dying natives, which he interprets as a symbol of European colonialism. It represents a helpless life of the natives.

 

3. How does the accountant maintain his appearance despite the chaos around him?

The accountant takes great care to remain impeccably dressed, wearing spotless white clothing despite the surrounding filth and suffering. His polished appearance reflects the European obsession with order and control, even amidst the brutal realities of colonial exploitation.

 

4. What irritates the accountant while trying to work in his office?

The accountant is irritated by the groans of a dying native outside his office, as they disrupt his concentration. His indifference to human suffering underscores the dehumanization inherent in colonial rule. 

 

5. What does Chinua Achebe argue is the central issue with Conrad's portrayal of Africans in Heart of Darkness?

Achebe argues that Conrad’s portrayal of Africans is deeply racist, as it denies them voice, identify, and humanity. He criticizes Conrad for depicting Africa as a dark, primitive land. 

 

6. What does Achebe mean by "things being in their place" in his critique of Conrad?

Achebe suggests that Conrad’s narrative maintains a Eurocentrism where African existence is inferior. This idea of "things being in their place" reflects a colonial mindset that confines Africans to a position of inferiority, preventing them from being seen as fully realized individuals.

 

 

II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100 words each:

7. How does the passage illustrate the theme of dehumanization in colonialism, and what role does the depiction of the Africans play in this portrayal?

 

The passage illustrates the theme of dehumanization in colonialism by depicting native Africans as mere shadows, suffering bodies, or indistinct figures rather than individuals with identities. Marlow’s descriptions reduce them to objects, often compared  to animals or elements of the natural landscape. This portrayal marks the colonialist mindset that views Africans as inferior and justifies their exploitation. Africa is represented as uncultured, uncivilized and primitive land. The darkness in the  title symbolise the evil and ignorance.

 

8. Discuss how the contrasting descriptions of the native Africans and the European accountant reflect the moral and cultural divides present in Heart of Darkness's exploration of colonialism?

The sharp contrast between the suffering, dehumanized Africans and the carefully groomed European accountant highlights the deep moral and cultural divides in Heart of Darkness. While the Africans are portrayed as weak, dying figures reduced to their physical suffering, the accountant embodies European order, control, and detachment. This juxtaposition emphasizes the hypocrisy of imperialism—Europeans claim to bring civilization, yet they remain indifferent to the sufferings of the natives. The contrast also exposes the moral blindness of colonial officials who prioritize appearances over humanity.

 

9. According to Achebe, why does Conrad portray the African woman and European woman differently?

Achebe argues that Conrad’s contrasting portrayals of the African and European women reflect his racist and Eurocentric perspective. The African woman, depicted as wild, silent, and imposing, embodies the stereotypical “exotic other,” while the European woman, represented as delicate and idealized, fits the colonial notion of purity and civility. Achebe suggests that Conrad uses these depictions to mark a rigid racial hierarchy, where Africa and its people remain mysterious and dangerous. This binary portrayal denies African women's identity. 

 

10. How does Achebe critique Conrad's use of language when describing Africans?

Achebe critiques Conrad’s language for stripping Africans of individuality and humanity, reducing them to dark and mysterious figures defined by primitive sounds and physical suffering. This linguistic dehumanization aligns with racist colonial ideology, marks Africa as a place of darkness and savagery. Achebe also points out that while Conrad grants European characters rich psychological depth, he confines Africans to a voiceless existence, making them symbols rather than real individuals with identity and self.

 

 

III. Answer the following questions in an essay of about 300 words each:

 

11. Achebe argues that Heart of Darkness perpetuates racist stereotypes about Africa. In the context of the passage from Heart of Darkness, do you think Conrad's portrayal of Africa and Africans reinforces or critiques colonialist attitudes?

 

Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is well known for its negative and inferior representation of Africa and its people.  The novel presents Africa as a dark, primitive land, devoid of history and civilization . The Africans in the text are largely voiceless and are described in ways that dehumanize them, portraying them as mysterious, suffering bodies or silent figures rather than as individuals with thoughts and emotions. 

However, some argue that Conrad critiques colonialism by exposing its brutality. The descriptions of suffering Africans highlight the cruelty of European imperialism, and Marlow’s disillusionment with Kurtz suggests a condemnation of colonial greed and moral decay. Yet, even in its critique, Heart of Darkness centers the European perspective, leaving the Africans as mere symbols rather than agents of their own fate. Conrad’s use of language marks their otherness, portraying them often animalistic terms while granting psychological depth only to European characters.

 

Ultimately, while Heart of Darkness reveals the horrors of imperialism, it does so in a way that still marginalizes African voices. Achebe’s critique is significant because it highlights how even a novel that critiques colonial exploitation can still perpetuate racist ideas by failing to grant full humanity to the colonized. 

 

12. How does Achebe's critique of Heart of Darkness challenge the Western literary canon's perception of the novel, and what implications does this critique have for understanding colonial literature?

 

Chinua Achebe’s critique of Heart of Darkness fundamentally challenges its status as a literary masterpiece by exposing its racial biases. Traditionally, the novel has been praised as a profound critique of colonialism and human corruption. However, Achebe argues that while it attacks European imperialism, it does so at the expense of Africans, portraying them as voiceless, primitive figures. By pointing out Conrad’s failure to recognize the full humanity of Africans, Achebe forces readers to reconsider the novel’s ethical and literary significance.

 

Achebe’s critique also raises  questions about the Western literary canon and its treatment of colonial literature. Many canonical works, written from a Eurocentric perspective, have historically depicted non-European cultures through the lens of imperialism, marking racial hierarchies. Achebe’s argument encourages a re-evaluation of such works, urging scholars and readers to recognize the perspectives that are marginalized or omitted. His criticism underscores the importance of including African voices in literary discourse, not just as subjects of Western narratives but as creators of their own stories.

 

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce : Short summary

 CHAPTER 1

Early Impressions

The beginning of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man depicts the earliest impressions of an infant. These impressions are represented in a language that carries associations of inorderly experience and the supremacy of outward impressions symbolical of the baby's mind. The child remembers with peculiar acuteness, sights and sounds, smells, colours and noises. Few incidents of his very young life pass temporarily before us. There is the incident in which the child Stephen listens about a 'moo-cow'. There is another example of the child recalling how he once wetted his bed, and how mother sang to him. It seems that the child has arrived at the stage where it has become easy for him to systematize and evaluate some of these experiences.

 

The Family of Dedalus

Then is introduced the family of Dedalus. There is Simon Dedalus, the father of Stephen. His mother is  May Dedalus. Living with them are a few relatives like uncle Charles and Mrs. Riordan (called Aunt Dante). There is also an introduction of the girl Stephen wants to marry. She is called Eileen Vance.

 

The School Experiences of Stephen

There is a deep impression on the mind of Stephen of his first school experiences. He was sent to a boarding school named Clongowes Wood College. Stephen recollects how he bade farewell to his parents when he first left for the school. He also recalls that playground where he played football. He remembers the school library and the evening prayer. He recalls how his rough classmate Wells had pushed him into a ditch of dirty water and how he caught cold due to this. He had to take resort in the school infirmary and Brother Michael looked after him. There he met Athy, the son of a racehorse owner. Stephen is too frightened and disheartened and fears that he is going to die. He somehow comforts himself with the thought that if he died prematurely, the notorious Wells would be filled with repentance and remorse. Stephen is almost in delirium and recalls the story of a ghost that his old servants had told him.

 

The Dinner at Christmas

Stephen recalls very clearly the Christmas that he spent at home with his mother and father. Stephen had grown up and it was for the first time that he was permitted to sit at table with the elderly people. At dinner an argument started on politics. As the argument became more heated, May Dedalus did her best to maintain order and to calm them down but all in vain. Ultimately the dinner was spoilt and it left painful memories in the mind of Stephen. The main subject of the discussion had been the Irish patriot Parnell whose death had recently come to their knowledge. Mr. Casey was a steadfast supporter of Parnell and thought that Parnell had been treated badly by the Irish Catholic Church. The cause for the condemnation of Parnell was that he had kept a mistress. Aunt Dante was in support of the Catholic Church and became too furious at the criticism of the church. She left the room out of anger banging the door behind her.

 

Stephen's Girlfriend, Eileen

Stephen remembers the a girl Eileen. Once he had put her ivory coloured hand into his own pocket, then they started playing together. He had been threatened for playing with her because she was a Protestant, but he somehow associated her with the Virgin Mary, and phrases used by the Catholics to describe Virgin Mary got linked with Eileen in Stephen's mind.

 

School Punishment

Stephen recalls how he was wrongly punished at school by his Latin teacher. Stephen's spectacles were broken, thus he had been unable to study. Though Stephen had explained this to the Latin teacher, Father Dolan, yet he made fun of him and gave the marks of pandybat (leather strap) on his hand. Stephen felt extremely disgraced. Other boys pressed him to meet the Rector and report against Father Dolan; Stephen did that. The Rector had shown sympathy and assured Stephen that this would not happen again.

 

CHAPTER-2

Uncle Charles was all the time smoking tobacco through the pipe. Simon Dedalus did not like the strong smell of tobacco, it seemed to him like gunpowder and he declared that Uncle Charles should smoke his pipe outside the house. Uncle Charles accepted this disgrace with joy. During the summer vacation Uncle Charles became the regular companion of Stephen when he came home for the vacation. Both went for shopping or to the park where a former athelete Mike Flynn would give Stephen running lessons. At this time Stephen also took delight in the world of books. His dearest book was The Count of Monte Christo.

 

Education Discontinued

The economic condition of Mr. Dedalus had so deteriorated that he decided that Stephen should not go back to the expensive school. Several alterations took place in the household to effect economy and it caused great depression to Stephen. He started taking resort in reveries and dreamt about the time when he would become a man, a mature and experienced man.

 

Further Fall

Stephen's family faced another fall in fortune, which led them to further degradation. His family had to shift to a place that was dirty and much less convenient. Moreover, Stephen's friend Uncle Charles was growing cynical because of advanced age. Stephen holds remembrances of few of the incidents that occurred during this period of his life. All these memories are blended with the presence of a fictitious woman whom Stephen has formed in his ideas.

 

New Educational Institution

As a consequence of the influence exercised by Stephen's father, Stephen and his younger brother were sent to a new preparatory school that was named 'Belvedere College'. Now Stephen felt himself quite superior, and this sense of superiority is projected in his behaviour towards the other boys of the school. Stephen and Heron became the unrivalled heroes of the school.

 

Stephen is thrashed

One of the teachers of Stephen accused him of heresy in one of his weekly essays. Stephen was openly scolded for this. Some boys decided to punish Stephen for his heresy. They tormented him for a few days after the public humiliation of Stephen. Stephen was stopped by three boys when he was walking along the road. These boys were, Heron, Boland and Nash. These boys interrogated Stephen as to whom he thought was the best poet or the best prose writer. Stephen told them that he liked Byron a lot as a poet, and that he regarded Cardinal Newman as the greatest prose writer. The boys said that Byron was heretical and immoral. They persisted that he should take back his opinion about the eminence of Byron but Stephen would not do that. He refused, and was thus beaten by them callously with a cane and a cabbage stump.

 

The Play at School

Stephen remembers the night when a play was staged in his school. His mind was again pervaded by the girl of his fancy. He imagined that she was sitting among the audience. It filled him with shame to perform his part because he felt that his role was a disgraceful one. His role was of a humorous teacher. After the play he ran away, anguished, humiliated and full of "wounded pride."

 

Stephen's Visit to Cork

Stephen went to the city of Cork with his father. Mr. Dedalus was going there to dispose off some of his property but he also wanted his son to be familiar with the places where he spent his childhood. In the course of the journey he talked constantly about his friends of old days. During his talk he, now and then, took a gulp of brandy from his flask. Stephen was getting terribly bored with his conversation, and at the end fell off to sleep. In Cork, Stephen's father took him to the college where he had studied. The name of his college was Queen's College. He was taken round the campus. His father told him several stories about his classmates that he had narrated to him innumerable times before. In fact, this visit was full of boredom for Stephen.

 

Stephen gets an Award

Stephen won the essay contest and got a prize. He spent the money to give pleasure and entertainment to his family that was facing ill-days. He took them to theatre and bought expensive gifts for them. Thus it was a momentary excursion for them and soon after that they were back to their old world of poverty.

 

Stephen Commits a Mortal Sin

Stephen's mind was filled with intense longings and he wanted to go away from the gloomy and monotonous atmosphere of his school as well as his home. One night while wandering in the streets, he reached a brothel. He saw a woman standing at the door of her home. She stopped him and called him lovingly to her room. Stephen surrendered his body and mind to that woman.

 

CHAPTER-3.

Stephen's Self-Estimation

While sitting in the classroom Stephen's mind was taking delight in the thoughts of that evening when he had taken meal and pleasure in the brothel. As he contemplated over this sinful act he had to admit that he was leading a torn life and putting his soul to the danger of eternal damnation. Yet he knew he was not going to repent, because he felt "a dark peace had been established between his body and soul." He had stopped going to Mass but still offered prayers to Mother Mary.

 

The Period of Retreat

In honour of the patron saint of the school, Saint Francis Xavier, a three day retreat was to be observed. During retreat the master encouraged them to observe meditative silence. He also talked to them about death and damnation. Stephen felt that every word was particularly addressed to him. He recalled all the sins he had committed. He remembered the obscene pictures that he kept and the indecent letters which he wrote and left out in the anticipation that some girl would read them.

 

The Terrible Description of Hell

The most horrifying lecture was the one on hell. The speaker had vividly described all the torments that the body was put to in hell. Stephen felt great terror. He felt as though he was already dead and going through the very same torments mentioned by the speaker, but the presence of the teacher and his friends convinced him that he was still alive. Stephen knew there was no escape. He had to confess, but dreaded the thought of doing so among his school companions.

 

The Final Lecture on Spiritual Torments

The final lecture was regarding the spiritual tortures that the damned have to face in hell. The speaker explained that the first such torture they had to face was that of a sense of loss, for they must understand that their sin had deprived them of God's loving care. The second plight they had to suffer was that of deep regret. The third plight would be the acknowledgement that their suffering is endless, infinite and beyond the limits of time. He described this by giving the instance of a bird who carries away a grain of sand from the mountain of sand once in every million years. In God's eye even a single sin counts. This lecture had terribly shaken Stephen. He tried to examine his conscience but felt incapable of the task. In the evening he went to a nearby old priest and confessed all his sins. Thereafter he felt greatly unburdened and relieved. He received Holy communion the next morning and decided firmly to lead a new life.

 

CHAPTER-4

Routine full of Purity

Stephen's understanding of the nature of sin made him adopt a routine of great piety. He went through many purificatory excercises and subjected his body to mortification to conquer himself. He daily attended Mass, offered prayers and recited the rosary that he always carried in his pocket. He found himself successful in bringing all the senses under control through the tough process of discipline. He started to believe in the reality of love, for it appeared to him that God had forgiven him and bestowed grace only because of his love for sinful humanity. Stephen's control over his emotion, however, was still suspect. Sometimes doubts entered his mind, sometimes he vacillated and it was apparent to him that something within him was still dragging him towards sin, and that one act of sin would undo all the spiritual progress that he had made through great perseverance and torment.

 

CHAPTER-5

Stephen Enters the University

Stephen now joins the University. One morning Stephen is getting late for the class. His father shouts at him for his slackness. His mother also says that University life has changed Stephen. Stephen has now become a grown-up, matured intellectual who completely indulges in the quest for beauty and the essence of art. Cranly, Stephen's companion, shares his aesthetic interests. Cranly has a serious nature in contrast to Stephen's other friends at the university. These friends are referred to throughout the chapter and their several encounters are described. For example, Davin, an ardent Irish patriot, is considered by Stephen to be a "dullwitted loyal self." But Stephen who was obsessed with language found himself trapped by Davin's speech-"an interesting mixture of Elizabethan English and quaint Irish idioms. Davin's description of an incident after a hurling match provides Joyce with an opportunity to demonstrate his proficiency in imitating the Irish vernacular speech." The incident is in reference to a lonely walk home late at night when Davin stops at an isolated cottage to ask for water. A peasant woman who opens the door scares the young student by her mysterious behaviour and her keen request that he should get in and spend the night there. He leaves the house quickly but can never forget this incident. 

A Conversation on Art

On reaching the University, Stephen goes to the physics theatre and meets the Dean of studies who is lighting a fire in the hearth. Now follows a discussion in which they discuss the useful arts as against liberal arts. This leads to a theoretical conversation on the artist's goal. Stephen says that the target of the artist must be the creation of the beautiful. The Dean asks what he considers beautiful.

Stephen answers with a quote from St. Thomas Aquinas, "those things are beautiful the perception of which pleases." Stephen is sincerely trying to evolve a clear conception of the fundamental questions in art and literature. He tries to form his own aesthetic doctrine, and he uses various persons (the Dean, Cranly and Lynch) to examine his ideas. He tells the Dean that he uses Aquinas' ideas as a lamp to light his own views. There can be no such thing as free thought because all thinking needs to be bound by its own laws. This conversation with the Dean ends as the Professor of physics and other students enter the hall, and the class begins.

 

Stephen and his Classmates

When the class is over, Stephen meets Cranly. A group of students are involved in enlisting students to sign a petition for disarmament and world peace. Stephen says that he has no interest in this matter. Temple also walks off with Stephen and Cranly. Davin and Lynch accompany Stephen and Cranly to watch a hurling match. Stephen condemns the blind patriotism of Davin, stating that he does not share the others' strong devotion to his country. "Ireland is an old sow that eats her farrow", he says coldly. He is sure that one need not sacrifice anything for such a country. In fact, he has decided to leave it for good. Lynch and Stephen are parted and Stephen begins to hold forth on his aesthetic philosophy. His aesthetic doctrine which he calls "applied Aquinas", is given below.

 

Stephen's Aesthetic Theory as influenced by St. Aquinas

1. We can regard a thing as beautiful if its perception pleases.

2. The good is that towards which the appetite inclines. This suggests:

(a) That creation of the beautiful is the only concern of a creative artist.

(b) The interest of the productive artist is only in the production of good.

 

Other aspects of Stephen's doctrine are derived from Greek thought:

3. Art must not be kinetic, that means it should not excite emotion like desire or loathing. It is the function of useful art to produce such emotions.

4. Three things are essential for the perception of beauty, these also show the influence of Greek thought:

(a) integritas or wholeness

(b) consonance or harmony

(c) brightness or radiance

 

Stephen explains it through the instance of a basket First, one sees the basket as one thing, then a thing with parta (harmony) and ultimately as that thing and not anything else Stephen tells Lynch that beauty and truth produce a stasis in the observer's mind. He quotes from Plato: "Beauty is the splendour of the truth".

 

Divisions of Art

Stephen divides art into a development of three forms:

(1) Lyrical

The projection of the artist himself, his views or experiences.

(2) Epic

 The image is present in close relation to the artist and to others. It is not subjective like Lyrical art.

(3) Dramatic:

The image is presented in close relation to others. The personality of artist is refined out of existence in this type of art. It is totally impersonal or objective.

 

Composition of a Poem

As it starts raining, Lynch and Stephen return to the library of the college. Lynch points out Stephen's girl as she walks off with her friends. Stephen watches her keenly from afar and pays no attention to Lynch's talk.

He is wrapt in the thoughts of this girl. One morning, Stephen wakes up to a "tremulous morning knowledge a morning inspiration." Ecstatic, and full of passion, verses began to form in his mind. He manages to write a villanelle, complete with six stanzas, in honour of that girl.

 

Stephen's Determination

Stephen is standing on the steps of the library watching the birds flying in a circle over his head. It reminds him of the flight of Daedalus. Stephen decides firmly, that he would not only leave his family but also his religion and nationality. Stephen sees the girl again and pursues her for a short distance while Dixon, Cranly, Glynn and Temple discuss where unbaptized infants go when they die. Some say that they go to Limbo.

 

A Discord with the Mother

Stephen tells Cranly that he had argued about religion with his mother. She had told him to perform his Easter duty, that is to go to Mass and communion which Stephen refuses to do. He declares to Cranly the non serviam of Lucifer: "I will not serve". The analytical Cranly marks the irony of Stephen's inner involvement with a religion in which he does not believe any more. They discuss the parents of Stephen. He loves his mother but regards his father merely "a praiser of his own past". Stephen does not want to hurt his mother but he can not denounce his principles either. Cranly tells Stephen that he should not accept the request of his mother if he does not believe in the religious rituals. Stephen answers that he neither believes nor disbelieves, but admits that he is not adamant enough to disbelieve to risk making a sacrilegious communion. Stephen shows his respect for the rituals of church by refusing to observe them. He says that he does not want to become a protestant, forsaking a logical and coherent absurdity for an illogical and incoherent one'. He decides that he must go far away to attain perfect spiritual freedom. Stephen is determined to sacrifice everything that comes in his way of attaining spiritual freedom. He declares that he cannot serve that in which he no longer believes whether it be home, church or country.

 

Entries in Stephen's Diary

At the end of Chapter 5 a series of dated entries in Stephen's diary is depicted which relate to his last moments before leaving Ireland. The date of first entry is March 20th and last one is April 27th. Stephen records his last meetings with Lynch, Cranly, and Davin and in brief, his thoughts and impressions. He tells his mother that he can not go back to church; that he can not repent. He describes his last meeting with his girl friend at which both feel disheartened. He turns on "his spiritual heroic refrigerating apparatus invented and patented in all countries by Dante Alighieri" thereby linking his prolonged romance with the unrealized ideal love and devotion of Dante to Beatrice. In the last entry, he invokes the old ancient artificer Daedalus, for inspiration: "April 26....... so be it. Welcome, O Life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race. April 27...... old father, old artificer, stand by me now and ever in good stead."

Therefore, like Daedalus, Stephen spreads his wings to escape the labyrinth (jail) of Dubin and fly toward the realm of artistic freedom.