Stephen and the Ladies

Throughout the novel, Stephen struggled with accepting beauty as a positive thing. He was controlled by lustrous desires and allowed himself to visit prostitutes. He faced an array of phases and emotions which included extreme guilt and extreme chastity. The chastity never lasted. His desires outweighed his fight for purity. As one watches him stumble over speech and defile, in his head and opinion, the innocent image of women, he faces serious anxiety. It is comforting to see that, in the end, he is able to awaken and appreciate beauty without feeling guilt. It was not until he matured and was able to think freely that he discovered the goodness in beauty.