The Seven Stages of Reading Ulysses
Start writing a post
Student Life

The Seven Stages of Reading Ulysses

the literary equivilant of, like, ten tabs of acid

127
The Seven Stages of Reading Ulysses

Nobody warned me about James Joyce. My mom told me she’d loved Ulysses in high school. When I asked her what it was about. She shrugged and said she didn’t remember too well. “Ireland,” she added. I was completely unprepared for the level of outrageous, difficult to read, and mind-fuckingly weird this book was.

For those of you considering embarking on this...dare I say…odyssey of a book, below are the five stages of reading James Joyce's Ulysses.

Confusion

Why aren’t there periods on these sentences? Who is Charles Parnell and why are all these people obsessed with him? If we just went to Paddy Digham’s funeral, why is he walking around Dublin? (Related: did his casket actually fall off the hearse, or did Leopold just imagine it?) Is Buck Mulligan actually talking to a group of soldiers or just Stephen? Why is everyone changing genders? Who even is Buck Mulligan and what does he does with his life besides yell witty things?

Disgust

Somewhere around chapter two, we get to hear all about Leopold's morning bathroom visit. It takes several pages. No details are spared.

Nationalism

OVERTHROW ENGLAND!

Secondary Catholicism

There’s a whole chapter written like a catechism. At some point it’ll just spill over and you’ll start crossing yourself. When Paddy Digham's ghost rises from the streets of Dublin, you'll enjoy the religious comfort.

Despair

This book makes no sense, and there’s several hundred more pages. None of the sentences have punctuation. Leopold is so sad. Ireland is still not free. You’re in too deep, though. You want to find out how it ends.

Disillusion

Buck Mulligan at one point, reads: "Every Man His Own Wife, Or, A Honeymoon in the Hand (a national immorality in three orgasms) by Ballocky Mulligan" and any lingering belief about the sanctity of literature and the basic civilized nature of the literature canon fly out the window.

Acceptance

It's a weird book. Not all of the sentences are sentences. But Leopold and Stephen got home okay, and Dublin is still standing (even though it kind of seemed like it was burning down a while ago). And when you put it down and inevitably miss it, there's always Finnegan's Wake.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

46449
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

29448
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

953725
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

163389
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments