Prayer in Portrait of the Artist

As a reader ventures into the life and mind of Stephen Dedalus, the main character of James Joyce’s classic A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, they are able to identify what Stephen’s state of mind is by examining pieces of prayers that Joyce includes as parts of the manuscript. The presence of these prayers suggests that they hold some significance in Stephen’s life. The simple prayers reflect the inner feelings of Stephen throughout his transition into manhood. The prayers that Joyce presents suggest idea or concepts that are valuable to Stephen throughout all ages of his life.
When Stephen is a schoolboy, Joyce includes juvenile, sincere prayers that mirror the manner in which a child might devotedly believe in the church, even without understanding the meaning of its religious policy. When Stephen leaves his boarding school to come home for the holidays, he is asked to say grace at the dinner table. Stephen stands up before everyone and recites: “Bless us,...