Conflicting Desires in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

In the story, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, written by James Joyce, the main character Stephen Dedalus has many encounters with women. Women and sexuality are major influences on Stephen's adolescent life. Another major factor that has an influence on Stephen's life is the Church. Women and sexuality conflict with the Church and its beliefs, and that is one of Stephen's major problems thus far. Stephen is having a very big …

…because of the guilty feelings. A lot of the confusion, stems from the absence of a strong recognition of his own self. He was always confused with his feelings and what he thought the church expected him to feel. However, in the end, he seems to have figured out what he wanted through another desire, so I wonder if he will actually achieve what he wants to or will he fail and become confused again.