A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

James Joyce explores the world of beauty and art within the development of the artist in the novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Initially, this character development, confined not to one man, but paralleling the development of the (as opposed to a)artist appears somewhat straightforward, with a inner conflict with morality and purpose. However, Stephen’s quest emobdies contradiction.
"White roses and red roses: those were beautiful colours to think of. And the cards for the first and second place and third place were beautiful colours too: pink and cream and lavender. Lavender and cream and pink roses were beautiful to think of. Perhaps a wild rose might be like those colours and he remembered the song about the wild rose blossoms on the little green place. But you could not have a green rose. But perhaps somewhere in the world you could."
Joyce’s writing style begins simply, utilizing extremity to further propogate Stephan’s youth. As the character develops, so does the writing style. The most significant change with the physical written word occurs withing the concepts. The story begins to sing of contradiction and possibility and throughout a thread of truth is carried. Perhaps Joyce purposes the lack of truth in an absolute in everything but purpose. Stephan’s purpose is undeniable, his will consistent. And the development of his purpose, as opposed to the work he produces, proves important.

The Stranger

The short novel The Stranger by Albert Camus embodies contradiction. While the understanding the novel provokes remains undeniable, the stylistic value may prove even more emblematic of the underlying theme.

The facts are understood by everyone. Or just some people maybe, I don’t know. The Stranger proposes a message: “Live in the now. Death comes tomorrow.” But that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was just some people.

The action is absolute. And so are the feelings. The page turns. And the reader grasps the plot, easily. But when discussed, the individuality of interpretation comes into play.
He was happy. She was used to it. Men always understand each other.
It was natural, naturally.

Here Camus distorts traditional notions. It is the facts that prove ambiguous (his mother’s age, the reason for killing, the location of Salamano’s dog) while the feelings are absolute. This shift of societal norms, written in a basic way, proclaims complexity and substantiates a need for personal experience and understanding.