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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Barely any
No significant violence
Language
Barely any
Some mild language; Irish slang
Sexual Content
Some
Stephen visits a prostitute in a significant scene; his sexuality and temptation are explored
Substance Use
None
No significant substance use
Emotional Intensity
Some
The hellfire sermon sequence is a masterpiece of psychological terror; Stephen's religious crisis is rendered viscerally
What this book is about
James Joyce's autobiographical debut novel traces Stephen Dedalus from childhood through his years at Clongowes Wood College and University College Dublin. Along the way he encounters hellfire sermons that plunge him into terror, a period of profound religious devotion, and ultimately a rejection of religion and nationality in favor of art and exile.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Vivid hellfire sermon causing intense fear and guilt
Stephen's visit to a prostitute
Rejection of Catholicism and family as central themes
Reader Verification
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