“A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MANAS AN EARLY STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS.” “Consciousness, then, does not appear to itself chopped up in bits… It is nothing jointed; it flows. A 'river' or a 'stream' are the metaphors by which it is most naturally described. In talking of it hereafter, let us call it the stream of thought, of consciousness, or of subjective life.” -William James (239) One of the most influential modern writers, James Joyce constantly explored the total resources of language in all his writings and he extensively influenced the fictional technique of twentieth-century writers, from traditional realists to experimental postmodernists. His influence on the fictional technique of twentieth-century writers has been exceptional. His chief contribution to fiction is the ‘stream of consciousness’ technique. According to Eric Bulson: Joyce can be difficult, but he is actually a lot of fun to read. You don’t have to be professional literary critic to enjoy him. In fact, if you give him a first or maybe even a second try, you will find that the rewards are endless and open to everyone. (ix) The term “stream of consciousness,” also known as Interior monologue characterizes the unbroken flow of thoughts and awareness in the waking mind. This term was first used by the psychologist William James inThe Principles of Psychology(1890).It is a mode of narration that attempts to give the written equivalent of the character’s thought process either in a loose interior monologues or in connection to his or her actions. M. H. Abrams states, Stream of consciousness...used to describe the unbroken flow of perceptions, memories, thoughts, and feelings in the waking mind.(380) The works of James Joyce are distinguished by their keen psychological insight and use of various literary techniques; most notably "stream of consciousness" which is an 1
attempt to write in the manner in which thoughts and memory actually work in our minds.
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