Religion and its effects on Stephen in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Religion is an important and recurring theme in James's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Joyce Young. Through his experiences with religion, Stephen Dedalus matures and becomes progressively more individualistic as he grows up. Despite growing up in a Catholic school, several key events lead Stephen to free himself from the yoke of conformity and choose his own life, the life of an artist. Religion is central to the life of the child Stephen Dedalus. He was raised in a strict, if not harmonious, Catholic family. The severity of his parents, who tried to raise him to be a good Catholic man, is highlighted by statements such as: "Gouge out his eyes / Apologize / Apologize / Gouge out his eyes". This rigid conformity shapes Stephen's life from his early boarding school years. However, even though he follows the precepts of his Catholic school, a disillusionment becomes evident in his thoughts. The priests, originally above criticism or doubt in Stephen's mind, become symbols of intolerance. The leader of these thoughts is Father Dolan, whose statements such as "You lazy little schemer. I see a schemer in your face," exemplify the kind of attitude that Stephen begins to associate with his Catholic teachers. At the end of the first chapter, Stephen's individualism and lack of tolerance for disrespect become evident when he complains to the rector about Father Dolan's actions. His confused attitude is clearly shown at the end of the chapter when he says, "He was happy and free: but still he would not have been proud to Father Dolan. He would have been very kind and obedient: and he wished he could do something kind on his part to show him that he did not He was proud." Stephen still has respect for his priests, but he has lost his blind sense of acceptance. As Stephen grows up, he slowly but surely distances himself from religion. His life is focused on pleasing his friends and family. However, as he matures, he begins to feel lost and hopeless, stating, "He also saw clearly his futile isolation. He had not taken a step forward toward the lives he had sought to approach, nor had he filled the restless shame and the resentment that divided him from mother, brother and sister." It is precisely this sense of isolation and loneliness that leads Stefano to the meeting with the prostitute, where «he wanted to sin with another of his kind, to force another being to sin with him and rejoice with her in sin..