Characteristics of Stephen Dedalus in the University 1. Brave
—Do you believe in the eucharist? Cranly asked. —I do not, Stephen said.
—Do you disbelieve then? —I neither believe in it or disbelieve in it, Stephen answered.
—Many persons have doubts, even religious persons, yet they overcome them or put them aside, Cranly said. Are you doubts on that point too strong?
—I do not wish to overcome them, Stephen answered 1992: 184-185.
P.S. The clauses ‘Cranly asked’, ‘Stephen said’, ‘Stephen answered’, and Cranly said’ are indirect expressions.
Eucharist in that conversation means the transubstantiation or the conversion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. It is a surprising
conversation since Stephen is very religious when he leads his school time. Stephen decides not to be too hard on thinking about religion. He includes himself neither in
the group of people who believe nor in the disbelieve one. It can be simply said that Stephen does not even care about it anymore. Stephen’s ignorant is again shown in
another part of the conversation. Addressing it as it lay, he said:
—Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire Taking Stephen’s arm, he went on again and said:
—Do you not fear that those words may be spoken to you on the day of Judgment?
—What is offered me on the other hand? Stephen asked. An eternity of bliss in the company of the dean of studies? 1992: 185
P.S. The clause ‘Stephen asked’ is an indirect expression. Such Stephen’s talking implies that he does not care anymore with what so
called sin. He is not afraid of the existence of the ‘everlasting fire’ which represents the concept of hell in Catholic religion.
Another case shows that Stephen really studies much. This case is related closely to his characteristic of bravery, too. When Stephen studies at school, he is not
brave enough even to ask something he does not understand to his teachers and friends. This time, Stephen really develops himself. He has quite long conversation
with one of his lecturers privately. A part of the conversation is presented below. Stephen, to fill the silence, said:
—I am sure I could not light a fire. —You are an artist, are you not, Mr. Dedalus? said the dean, glancing up and
blinking his pale eyes. The object of the artist is the creation of the beautiful. What the beautiful is another question.
He rubbed his hands slowly and drily over the difficulty. —Can you solve that question now? he asked.
—Aquinas, answered Stephen, says pulcra sunt quae visa placent. —This fire before us, said the dean, will be pleasing to the eye. Will it
therefore be beautiful? —In so far as it is apprehended by the sight, which I suppose means here
esthetic intellection, it will be beautiful. But Aquinas also says Bonum est in quod tendit appetitus. In so far as it satisfies the animal craving for warmth
fire is a good. In hell, however, it is an evil. —Quite so, said the dean, you have certainly hit the nail on the head 1992:
143.
P.S. The phrase “said the dean, glancing up and blinking his pale eyes” is an indirect sentence. Pulcra sunt quae visa placent means ‘We call that beautiful
which pleases the sight’. Bonum est in quod tendit appetitus is the Latin for ‘That is good toward which the appetite or desire is moved’. Stephen quoted
those sentences from Summa Theologica by Aquinas.
Through this conversation, it seems that Stephen was able to position himself as an intellectual person so that he could have a conversation with a lecturer that way.
Stephen is confident to have such talk since he has capable knowledge about the subject. He is not shy to state his opinion and answer toward question.
The change in Stephen’s thought shapes him into a person with his own perspective and attitude on things. One of his friends also states it.
—I don’t care a damn about you, Cranly, answered Temple, moving out of reach of the uplifted stave and pointing at Stephen. He’s the only man I see in
this institution that has an individual mind 1992: 155.
P.S. The phrase ‘answered Temple, moving out of reach of the uplifted stave and pointing at Stephen’ is an indirect utterance.
Stephen has developed himself much along his school period. In his university phase, he is a quite new person.