In chapter one, a significant event was when Stephen went up to the reactor’s
office to tell of Father Dolan’s pandying him. He felt that he had been
falsely punished and did not want it to happen again. This seems to be a turning
point for Stephen because it took courage for a small boy to travel to travel
through the gloom of a strange building by himself to speak with such a
highly-honored man. Stephen is praised and cheered for by the other boys
afterward which delights him and actually makes him feel included. The entire
mood of the chapter is changed from one of seriousness to one of joy for
Stephen’s accomplishment of this event. The second chapter brings about
maturity in Stephen. At the very end, he is kissed by a prostitute which is very
significant because it brings about confusion and frustration about life,
church, and family. Stephen is pulled between doing what he has been taught is
right, and what his body is telling him to do. The inner conflict makes him
angry and bitter as he does not know how to handle it. He becomes a hypocrite in
his own world by saying the right things and doing the wrong ones. The question
of how he should live is one of the first critical decisions Stephen has to make
which shows that he is growing up. Chapter three contains a very significant
event. After constant struggle between right and wrong, Stephen finally
confesses all of his sins to a priest. Stephen turns his life around and makes
each day become filled only with what is good and holy. He exercises immense
self-discipline through prayer and exemplary behavior. This change in behavior
was important because he was no longer disgusted with himself or hateful towards
others who do right as well. In chapter four Stephen takes a long walk to think.
During this walk, he decides that he does not want to be a priest, but wants to
be a writer instead. Words and phrases are floating around in his head and he
realizes that writing might actually be his calling. This decision will shape
and form the rest of his life, not to mention decide his future. Chapter five
presents the resolution to Stephen’s story. He decides to leave Ireland and
the home he grew up in. This decision is important because it is the turning
point in Stephen’s life-the event that is the beginning of his adult life.
Stephen is going to expose himself to a whole new world as he ventures away from
his family and the familiar surroundings of his hometown. 2.) I. Apologise, Pull
out his eyes, Pull out his eyes, Apologise. (pg. 20) II. The clouds were
drifting above him silently and silently the seatangle was drifting below him;
(pg. 175) III. The preacher took a chainless watch from a pocket within his
soutane and, having considered its dial for a moment in silence, placed it
silently before him on the table. IV. Her bosom was as a bird’s, soft and
slight, slight and soft as the breast of a darkplumaged dove. (pg. 176) V. Once
upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the
road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy
named baby tuckoo…. (pg. 19)