Sometimes he caught himself listening to the sound of his own voice. He thought that in her eyes he would ascent to an angelical stature; and, as he attached the fervent nature of his companion more and more closely to him, he heard the strange impersonal voice which he recognised as his own, insisting on the soul's incurable lonliness. We cannot give ourselves, it said: we are our own.
by James Joyce
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In this excerpt, the character reflects on the nature of self-perception and connection. He imagines that his voice, when heard, elevates him in the eyes of someone special, suggesting a desire for approval and transcendence. As his relationship with her deepens, he confronts the haunting reality of individual isolation, where he hears an impersonal voice echoing thoughts of loneliness and the impossibility of truly giving oneself to another.
This internal struggle highlights the tension between the longing for intimacy and the recognition of personal barriers that prevent genuine connection. The notion that "we are our own" underlines the struggle for individuality amidst the desire for union, revealing a profound philosophical observation of the human experience as depicted in Joyce's work.
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