Artists such as Lily Briscoe from Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and Stephen Dedalus from James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man are equally influenced by the ways in which society interprets their art. They embody these two authors' views on what it means to be a true artist. These two characters receive starkly contrasting messages from the society around them, which in turn influences how they view their art and what effect it will have on the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Every artist receives completely different treatment from society. Stephen is an intellectual and sensitive person, even as a boy. Although he has more siblings, he is the one his parents send to the expensive Clongowes Wood College. He is initially an outcast, but by the end of his education he has proven to be intelligent and capable of standing up against injustice. Stephen's time at Belvedere College further illustrates his intellectual superiority. He earns a reputation for being one of the smartest kids in school and his classmates and teachers respect his intelligence. A consequence of this positive reinforcement is that it gives Stephen the confidence to be an isolated person and to leave Ireland to pursue his art. “I'm not afraid of being alone… And I'm not afraid of making a mistake, even a big mistake” (Joyce 218). Thanks to the encouragement and respect he received from his classmates, priests, and society as a whole, Stephen manages to find the courage to face the world alone for the sake of his art. This is almost the exact opposite of the reactions Lily's art receives. Mrs. Ramsey doesn't take her seriously and Lily knows it. According to people around her, Lily's role in society is to get married and take care of her husband and family. No one in her life seems to encourage her the way the people in Stephen's life encourage him. Mr. Tansley is Lily's biggest critic and non-believer, “He whispers in her ear, “Women can't paint, women can't write…”” (Woolf 48). These lines recur in Lily's thoughts throughout the novel, clearly weighing on her. Whether explicitly told or simply recalled, Lily is constantly reminded of her duty to get married and stop painting. The consequence of this is that she lacks the confidence that Stephen has and feels very differently about his art than Stephen feels about his. She also seeks connections to the world around her in a way that Stephen does not. Stephen does not appear to desire these (non-sexual) connections because he is confident in his life choices. These two characters see their art and the effect it has on the world in extremely different ways. Stephen has numerous criticisms of Irish society and sees his writings as a way to highlight these flaws and hope to change them. In the final lines of the novel, when Stephen leaves to become an artist, he reflects on his choice, stating: “I go to meet for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the forge of my soul the uncreated consciousness of my race” (Joyce 224 ). It wants to be the voice of Ireland and its culture, exposing both its positive and negative aspects. According to the Oxford English Dictionary this use of “uncreated” could have the traditional meaning of not yet created, but could also mean “self-existent or eternal.” The second definition would mean that Stefano's race consciousness already exists and that he is the person who can finally define it. Stephen is still.