Throughout the story A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce we see Stephen's struggle with Catholicism, sin, and his destiny. In Stephen's life, which almost mirrors that of Joyce, Catholicism plays an important part but fades away and art comes in its place. The title already tells us that he is an artist, not that he is Catholic. Joyce's priority is to tell us about himself as an artist and how he became such, rejecting Catholicism. Just like most Irish people, Stephen Dedalus is a devout Catholic. Catholicism dominates Stephen's life and completely controls his emotions, thoughts and actions. From an early age Stephen was in the grip of Catholicism. While attending Clongowes Wood College, Stephen prays before going to bed "so that he may not go to hell when [he dies]".(15) Even after prayer, just to go to sleep he would have to console himself by saying "he would not have gone to hell when he died; and the shaking stopped.”(15) Being so afraid as a child because of religion would be a substantial reason to turn away from it. Stephen was probably eight years old at the time, and for a child this level of fear is unreasonable and possibly harmful to his mental health Once again at Clongowes Wood College Stephen is abused by one of the fathers one day Father Dolan enters the classroom and hits Fleming, one of Stephen's classmates, with the pandybat six times by the hand. . After berating and beating Fleming, Father Dolan notices that Stephen is not doing his job. Father Arnall, who teaches the class, tells Father Dolan that he is excused because his glasses are broken and Father Dolan does not believe it Stephen saying: “You lazy little schemer. I see a schemer on your face... Lazy idle slacker." scare children into doing the right thing and turn it into a song. Ultimately, Stephen rejects Catholicism as his religion because of the trauma it has caused him and because he is too restrictive for an artist like him and replaces religion with art After rejecting Catholicism, Stephen begins to think like an artist, examining the soul and aesthetics. His namesake, Daedalus, also evokes the image of an artist and creator. Daedalus was a creator of Greek mythology with whom Stephen identifies with great pride. Furthermore, the next story that Joyce writes is Ulysses, a story related to Greek mythology whose main character is also a Jew they were pagans so it is possible to say that when Stephen/Joyce rejected Catholicism he began to accept paganism as his religion.