A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man – Thug Notes Summary and Analysis

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man – Thug Notes Summary and Analysis

November 11, 2019 | Danny Thompson | Articles, Blog


‘Sup homeslice! This week we flying high with The Portrait
of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. Aight, slick. Let’s get something straight up in here. This book flowin’ about one main thing: the
development of the artist, Stephen Dedalus. And we jumpin from one episode to another
as he grindin’ through all sorts of sh*t from his time as a young thug. At the start, we checkin his only memories
from the baby days: smells, sensations, and a story his Pops once told him about a moo
cow. Hmmhmm. Later, Stephen gets sent to Clongowes Wood
College. And even though he just a little G gettin
schooled with other homies, he realize he ain’t like the rest of these simple scrubs. But soon Stephen don’t gotta go back to that
trap no more. His Daddy been acting a straight fool and
the family all outta that cash money. So the Dedalus crew high-tail it to Dublin,
and Stephen starts thuggin in a new school. One night, Stephen starts wandering around
town and peeps a fine lil’ number turning tricks, so he throws her some dough and ends
up dippin his pen in more than just ink, nah mean? Yeah! Stephen starts chasin’ tail and rubbin’ it
raw on the reg, until one day he hears some tight ass preacher rhymin’ about fire and
brimstone. Stephen just about sh*ts his pants and decides
it’s time to hit that Bible HARDCORE. Our boy keepin’ it so church that one of the
priests ask him to join up with his holy posse and enter the priesthood. Eventually, Stephen all like ‘nah, priest
blood, but that ain’t my style. Then one day while Stephen lurkin round the
beach, he catches a glimpse at one of the finest asses he’s ever seen. A ass so fine that it changes a brother’s
life FOREVER. After that, he decide he gonna spread those
wings and create like a true blue artist with a free and proud soul. Like a boss. But all the cats he kickin’ it with- family,
friends, religious peeps, they all just crampin’ his style. So Stephen keeps it real and chucks up the
deuce to the world he know. Let me lay this game on you, B. This book about a sensitive little G, comin
up in a family, religion, and country that tryna drill a certain view of the world in
his head. But as he grow up, Steve-O decide he just
can’t flow with that mess. Like Cranley say, Stephen wanted And the only way to keep it that trill is
to throw up your middle finger to all that sh*t that’s holdin’ you back. Now if you goin’ hard in the paint, you gots
to peep Joyce’s mad artistry up in here. See this sh*t right here is one of the first
books in which the motifs are the most important element of the text. And Joyce flippin’ them literary devices like
a mothaf*ckin’ hustler. This cat packed just about all the novel’s
images, motifs, and symbols in the first few pages: daddies, roads, water, ladies, roses,
birds… I could go on, playa! Matta fact, some of this sh*t so similar to
old Jim Joyce’s life that some cases think this book is straight up autobiographical. And that Stephen reppin’ Joyce himself. See, like Stevie, Jimmy J had the balls to
stick it to his upbringing and define himself outside his country and religion. Even though Stephen’s story starts off with
his biological Daddy tryna school him by dropping some verses about how the world be, our main
man ends up gettin learned by a different Pops, the one he’s named after… Stephen actually goin’ off about a character
in Greek myth named Daedalus, and Daedalus is one of the baddest mothers you ever seen. Fool could invent like nobody’s business. Matta fact, he and his son, Icarus, actually
busted out of the slammer, by ghetto-riggin’ some DIY wings. Just like the Greek Daedalus, Stephen just
wanna create and be free. But before he can fly high, he gotta grind
through an earthly prison full of weak ass chumps. And they ain’t no better way to stay fly than
hittin’ that subscribe button and gettin’ you some Thug Notes threads! See you next week, playa! Peace!

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100 thoughts on “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man – Thug Notes Summary and Analysis”

  2. I love your videos, Sparkly Sweet! I am currently doing a master's degree in English Literature. I've been reading too many literary theories and concepts that seem to mechanize and nullify the true beauty of literature. I was desperately looking for something that will get me a good laugh. Thanks for the humorous video! It's good to know that there are people out there who still can appreciate literature. 

    Reply

  3. More black authors! May I suggest Song of Soloman by Toni Morrison and The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola. Also, hit up some more James Baldwin, dude! (And do HL Mencken too, regardless of race. That man's angry reason needs to be brought back now more than ever.)

    Reply

  5. One thing I'm seeing as a recurring theme in a lot of these books that white folks consider "classic literature" is how white people, white men in particular, are really sexually repressed. They discover some ass and think they found God. Either that or they're just plain power hungry. Or both. Then they run around trying to hide their true nature from everybody else instead of just chilling the fuck out.

    This really explains a lot about rich, white, male Republicans. It would make me feel sorry for them if they weren't such pussies and didn't impose their views on everybody. White people really need to learn how to live and let live like the dude in this book.

    I guess it ain't just white people tho. Look at the damned Taliban and them stupid dudes in Nigeria kidnapping girls and don't even get me started on China and North Korea. They don't just hate women, they hate everybody. And don't get me started on them assholes who kill everybody over drugs. Power hungry biatches.

    Fuck. We can't even blame the world's problems on white people no more. Not to say white folks ain't guilty for the shit they do, but maybe everybody else is just as guilty for not telling them where to get off. Except they always bring guns don't they? White men love war and all the other men love guns and shit too. So they're like fuck, we'll strap up too. Load up on guns and bring your friends. Instead of standing down, or trying to work shit out, men everywhere just make shit worse.

    It's Men. Men are fucked up. All over the world. Except Sparky Sweets. He keeps it trill. But us Women, we need to rise up and take over. Men can not be trusted to run this world anymore. I need to write a book about that.

    Reply

  7. Thank you so much for making this a bit more understanding now. I would love to recommend that you do The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. 🙂

    Reply

  15. Seriously, I haven't been as excited about a YouTube channel since wayyyyy back when ERB came out. These are funny but jam packed with information about some of the greatest literary works of all time. Please, never stop doing these. Like, ever. 

    Reply

  22. What have I been doing with my life? I been dwelling in the nerdy world of the humanities when I could be out finding asses that change my life for ever. That really rubs my shit raw, son

    Reply

  26. The part of the story where the priest delivers the hell-fire sermon was mad scary! It was scarier than the famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards.

    Reply

  29. This is the greatest idea for literature since literature started being written. Seriously, this is awesome. Definitely gonna get some thug notes threads

    Reply

  34. @wisecrack Review "Martin Eden" by Jack London! This novella follows a similar life narrative but radically different, set in the grimy laborious times of post industrial revolution era America.

    Reply

  35. Can you do the Ulysses by the same author. I tried to read that when I was twelve but it just wrinkled my brain. Haven't tried to read it since, and I need to know what the hell was going on in Dublin with Leopold Bloom, Stephan Dedalus and the gang. You can't make a video about James Joyce and not make another one about his most famous book – life doesn't work like that.

    Reply

  37. when did he move to africa or jong gua or nihon or brazil or mehico and get married? hindustan, i get down in all directions but ireland

    Reply

  46. I can never thank you enough for saving my ass in my Novel class each and every semester hahahaha <3

    Reply

  48. just finished reading this today

    OOOOOOOO
    WEEEEEEEEEEE

    Joyce does not play around!
    Lyrical and Dense
    as Beautiful as it is hard to follow

    following Stephen on his journey was a unique experience. Joyce haJoa power with description head and shoulders above nearly every other writer ive come across

    his aesthetic philosophy towards the end was fascinating to say the least

    difficulty: 10/10
    quality: 10/10

    i read this alone
    it would have been wiser to have seeked some guidance… should have believed what I heard about Joyce but oh well

    wont make this mistake again with Ulysses.

    Reply

  50. What's depressing about the Daedalus story comparison is, well we all know what happened to him AND Icarus in the end. So……maybe saying screw you to earth and spreading ur wings ISN'T such a great idea. lol.

    Reply

  55. everyone that walks by each other or talks to each other in the park should share 1 piece ideology with each other as they come and go just on the off-chance that might be interested like what are you thinking today like the title of a story or a situation in history or a part for a machine etc etc

    Reply

  69. thug notes you are the greatest dude in the world. you are educating children/teens in a way we NEED!!!!!! GOD DAMN IT I LOVE YOU <3

    Reply

  73. You're doing something right.
    Outstanding, classy in it's own way.
    Respect- This is oxygen for the intellect .
    Light years above the cut !

    Reply

  75. I never noticed that. If your mind is focused on abstract higher end goals like when dude noticed he was different. It probably means you have artistic qualities/skills. Because all the engineers I know talk and think in order. In the steps. A process. And in that book the war of art. The author basically says that too, if you are doing art as a profession. To succeed you probably have to think irrationally. Because rational thought isn't what created things like Dilbert. Or got you to that place. So people obsessed with "great" goals. Are actually just creative minded and are not served by the moment/being present. Im really grateful for how clear and comprehendable these summaries are too or I might never have seen these large themes. Which are easy to miss if you make fun of the books. But even that Ethan Frome book. I like it now because I never read it prior to the summary here. And endless people I found out. Really hate that book.

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  77. I need, and I mean NEEEEED a Thug Notes on Ulysses. I'm reading it right now (for fun) and would appreciate your import!!!

    Reply

  82. I do appreciate the self-portrait you put up there at the very beginning.  Sheet-eating grin and all. But now it's 4 weeks later and you've taken the grinning, bespectacled visage out of the intro.  Dang.

    Reply

  98. I solemnly say — bring back thug notes! Starting with the fine literary achievement, Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. Thanks in advance for paying heed to my request

    Reply

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