DOES THE NUMBER THREE (3) MEAN ANYTHING IN JAMES JOYCE'S "A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN"?

In A Portrait of the Artist as a young Man, the number Three plays a vital role in as far as exposing the character of the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus, is concerned. Introduction The meaning of numbers is part of this global consciousness and interestingly, writers from all over the world use numbers in their works to convey universally identical meaning, sometimes without themselves knowing it. From the stand points of numerology, religion, as well as human sexuality, the number Three (3) has its own place in the interpretation of different phenomena in human life and the universe. Jackson (2006:16) defines Numerology as "the study of numbers, and the occult manner in which they reflect certain aptitudes and character tendencies, as an integral part of the cosmic plan." In Christian's sacred book, the Bible, there is mention of God, the father(1), the Son (2), and the Holy Spirit (3)... and that God called Samuel three times before Samuel could answer "Speak; your servant is listening" (ISamuel 3:1-10). At the Mount of transfiguration, Moses (symbolising the law) and Elijah (symbolising the prophesies) met Jesus (symbolising the fulfilment of both the law and prophesy). [...]when Jesus (1), Moses (2), and Elijah (3) shone, they simply connoted that God's law (1) and His prophesies (2) have all been fulfiled through Jesus Christ (3). The Bible further indicates that Jesus was nailed at three body parts - the left hand, the right hand, and the legs. Conclusion This paper has deonstrated the significance of the...