In James Joyce’s novel "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" a variety of narrative techniques is used. In this research paper I want to explore how the use of different narrative techniques correlates with and indicates the protagonist’s development towards both an artist and an autonomous adult.
Except of the concluding diary entries, the novel is narrated by a third-person narrator who has got a limited point of view since he is focalized through Stephen. The narrator presents Stephen’s consciousness and activities in various ways; an important aspect about his narration is that he persistently adapts his style to Stephen’s idiom and mood. In some passages the narrator reports almost objectively on events, however, often he renders Stephen’s consciousness, for which he uses different narrative techniques.
Since Dorrit Cohn is thought to be one of the most important researchers on the field of narrative techniques concerning the presentation of consciousness, I will base this research paper on her definitions. Cohn distinguishes three ways a third-person narrator can use for rendering a person’s consciousness: psycho-narration, narrated monologue and quoted interior monologue, all of which are used in the novel. I will focus on psycho-narration and narrated monologue since these are the techniques predominantly used. Psycho- narration is the narrator’s description of a character’s thoughts and feelings, thus, it is the most indirect way of rendering a character’s consciousness. The third-person reference and the tense of narration are maintained. The presence of a narrator is marked since a verbum dicendi is always used. Narrated monologue uses the third person singular and the preterite as well; however, at the same time the syntactical structure remains that of direct discourse with exclamations, questions, repetitions, interjections and exaggerated emphases. The effect of narrated monologue is to reduce as far as possible the distance between the narrator and the character existing in all third person narrations. Since psycho- narration and narrated monologue use a third-person narrator and the same time span, the two techniques can alternate without perceptible transitions. As a result, the narrator can weave in and out of the character’s thoughts and the distance between narrator and character can be eliminated.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Sermons and Their Consequences as Mirrored in the Narrative Techniques
2.1 The Fragmentation of Narration During the Sermons and Stephen’s Reactions towards Them
2.2 Psycho-Narration After Stephen’s Confession
3 Techniques of Presenting Consciousness During the Creation of the Villanelle
4 Stephen’s Dialogue with Cranly
5 The Concluding Diary Entries
6 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This research paper examines how specific narrative techniques in James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man correlate with the protagonist's development into an autonomous artist. It analyzes the transition between various narrative modes and writing styles to illustrate Stephen Dedalus's journey toward self-definition and independence from societal and religious influences.
- Analysis of psycho-narration and narrated monologue as primary consciousness-rendering techniques.
- Examination of the narrative fragmentation during the religious sermons.
- Exploration of artistic development through the creation of the villanelle.
- Study of the shift towards direct speech and drama in the dialogue with Cranly.
- Evaluation of the significance of the concluding diary entries as a final step in establishing individual identity.
Excerpt from the Book
3 Techniques of Presenting Consciousness During the Creation of the Villanelle
In the section in which the creation of the villanelle is presented (pp. 182-188) the use of narrative techniques becomes complex and the narrator withdraws from his predominant position.
Towards dawn he awoke. O what sweet music! His soul was all dewy wet. Over his limbs in sleep pale cool waves of light had passed. He lay still, as if his soul lay amid cool waters, conscious of faint sweet music. His mind was waking slowly to a tremulous morning knowledge, a morning inspiration. A spirit filled him, pure as the purest water, sweet as dew, moving as music. But how faintly it was inbreathed, how passionlessly, as if the seraphim themselves were breathing upon him! His soul was waking slowly, fearing to awake wholly (p.182, my italics).
The predominant technique in this passage is still psycho- narration, however, the vocabulary and rhythm is extremely coloured by Stephen’s mental state and idiom. Often psycho narration verges into narrated monologue and vice versa, thus, the style used here is a midpoint between the two techniques, a phenomenon which Cohn calls “stylistic contagion”.13
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter establishes the focus on how narrative techniques indicate the protagonist's development towards becoming an artist, based on Dorrit Cohn's definitions of consciousness presentation.
2 The Sermons and Their Consequences as Mirrored in the Narrative Techniques: This section explores how the Church's influence is reflected in the narrative style, specifically through psycho-narration and the fragmentation of the protagonist's consciousness during the sermons.
2.1 The Fragmentation of Narration During the Sermons and Stephen’s Reactions towards Them: This part analyzes the frequent shifts in narrative mode during the classroom scenes, illustrating the struggle between Stephen's religious environment and his own internal state.
2.2 Psycho-Narration After Stephen’s Confession: This section discusses how Stephen's adoption of the Church's rhetoric and vocabulary indicates a temporary setback in his artistic autonomy.
3 Techniques of Presenting Consciousness During the Creation of the Villanelle: This chapter examines the stylistic evolution when Stephen begins creating art, focusing on the blend of psycho-narration and narrated monologue.
4 Stephen’s Dialogue with Cranly: This chapter highlights the shift toward direct speech and dramatic form, signaling a deeper level of individual independence and mental isolation.
5 The Concluding Diary Entries: This section analyzes the move to a first-person perspective in the diary entries as the final consequence of Stephen's progression towards individuality.
6 Conclusion: This chapter summarizes how the retreat of the narrator and the increase in direct, subjective forms of writing correlate with Stephen's growing autonomy and artistic ability.
Keywords
James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Narrative Techniques, Psycho-narration, Narrated Monologue, Consciousness, Stephen Dedalus, Artistic Development, Villanelle, Diary Entries, Stylistic Contagion, Autonomy, Fictional Style, Dorrit Cohn, First-person Narrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper explores how narrative techniques, such as psycho-narration and narrated monologue, are employed by James Joyce to reflect the psychological and artistic development of the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus.
Which specific narrative theories does the author use?
The analysis is primarily based on the definitions of narrative modes provided by Dorrit Cohn in "Transparent Minds".
What is the central research question?
The central question is how the narrator's changing presence and the use of different narrative techniques indicate Stephen's journey toward becoming an autonomous artist.
How does the narrative style change as Stephen matures?
As Stephen grows in independence, the narrator increasingly retreats, and the narrative shifts from indirect techniques like psycho-narration toward more direct methods, such as narrated monologue and interior monologue.
What role do the diary entries play in the novel's structure?
The diary entries represent a final shift to a first-person narrator, signifying Stephen’s effort to break free from external influences and establish his own authentic writing style.
What does "stylistic contagion" mean in this context?
It refers to a phenomenon where the narrator's voice and the character's idiom become so intertwined that the style exists at a midpoint between psycho-narration and narrated monologue.
Does the author conclude that Stephen achieves total artistic independence?
No, the author suggests that while the diary entries indicate progress, Stephen still relies on existing forms, implying that his quest for a completely original style is an ongoing process.
How does the dialogue with Cranly reflect Stephen's independence?
The dominance of direct speech in this dialogue illustrates that Stephen is making decisions on his own terms, marking a step away from the mediation of a third-person narrator.
Why are the religious sermons significant to the narrative analysis?
The sermons are analyzed because they use a traditional, rigid style that suppresses Stephen's own voice, which contrasts sharply with his later attempts to develop his own artistic language.
- Citation du texte
- Stefanie Jansing (Auteur), 2007, Selected Narrative Techniques in James Joyce's 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/130207
