Abstract Chapter One of James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" traces Stephen Dedalus's early childhood experiences from his toddler years through his first term at boarding school. The paper shows that through several key events, Stephen is forced to confront his own weaknesses and to recognize the shortcomings in other people. It also shows how he is forced to confronts weightier, adult issues in his immature mind.
From the Paper "Daydreaming is natural to Stephen, whose early memories mingle with multi-sensory fantasies. Colors, feelings, smells, tastes and sounds commingle to color the present moment and help Stephen understand the world. When Wells humiliates him in front of his classmates, he feels the embarrassment throughout his entire body. Stephen is unable to fight back, for he is not aggressive. Instead, he withdraws further. His poor eyesight also serves as a symbolic barrier between him and the outside world. It prevents him from playing sports well, which leads to his being unpopular. Ironically, breaking his glasses causes him to become a hero by the end of the chapter. Until then, however, young Stephen contends with conflicting emotions and ideas when Wells teases him about kissing his mother. "Was it right to kiss his mother or wrong to kiss his mother"?"
