Stouds Lonigan Analysis

Although Studs Lonigan, like most Irish Catholics, tried to present himself in a self-assured manner and exuded a confidence built on patronizing others, this act did not allow Studs to escape the disillusionment felt by most of the time. Like Davey Cohen, a young Jewish boy that Lonigan chose to belittle and look down upon based on religion, he experienced moments of disappointment and doubt. Both boys, regardless of religion, had doubts over their reputations, their self-worth, and their ability to love and be loved by another. While religion could be a source of solace for the individual, it did not make them perfect and it didn’t exempt them from the trials and tribulations of life. For Studs Lonigan, a reputation was a way to validate himself in the eyes of his peers and become the type of man he always wanted to be. It would be the opinion of others that solidified Studs as a strong-willed Irish man, rather than the young uncertain boy he still was on the inside.
If Studs was able to make people believe in this persona he portrayed, he hoped eventually his make-believe world would become reality. Fortunately for Studs, his plan started to work. After winning
Whenever Lonigan was surrounded by a group of fellow Irish, he saw himself as the outsider, the lesser man. To Studs, he was not as confident as his peers appeared to be. Since he was less sure of himself, he thought of himself as less than the others. It was this feeling that caused Studs to question his self-worth. It was only when others were picked on that Studs felt a part of the group. As stated in the text, “Studs felt good, because he’d been let in on a practical joke they played on someone else; it sort of stamped him as an equal,” (116). When others were made to feel smaller, Studs finally felt like the bigger