Learning Paths » 5A Interacting
The stream of consciousness is applied to that type of modern fiction which tries to reproduce the way in which thoughts and sensations flow freely in the mind. An example of the most extreme form of the stream of consciousness is Molly’s monologue, in which every mediation of the narrator disappears. It is direct discourse deprived of its conventional or orthographic elements.
In Molly’s monologue there is no punctuation, including apostrophes, and there is a kind of violation of grammatical and syntactical rules. The reader has to follow Molly’s thoughts and he or she has especially to follow where her mind brings her.
There are only ideas and sensations, which do not form a logical sequence. Joyce wants to reproduce the process of thinking. This is the reason why Molly thinks only of common things.
The reader is plugged into the brain of Molly Bloom. The reader must follow constantly Molly’s thoughts if he wants not to loose himself. This is way it’s very hard to understand.