In the first part of Chapter IV, we see that Stephen has changed his way of life drastically from one full of immoral sexual activity into one completely free of sin. Stephen has effectively gone from one extreme to the opposite; even the word "ejaculation", which is used multiple times throughout this part of the chapter, loses its sexual meaning and instead refers to short prayers.
While Stephen evidently sees this change as an improvement, it is very likely that Joyce believes otherwise. The stream of consciousness that made this novel such an interesting read seems to have essentially vanished in the first part of Chapter IV, and it is replaced by organized paragraphs describing Stephen's new way of life. Stephen hardly thinks about anything besides whether or not he's sinning, and his mind is no longer filled with questions as we've seen before. As a matter of fact, when he ponders God and his faith he deems them "unquestionable". The very thing that made Stephen such a unique character, i. e. his inquisitive nature, has clearly dwindled. As a result, the only question Stephen ever asks himself in the beginning of Chapter IV leaves us with more questions than answers: "I have amended my life, have I not?"
Though Stephen has "amended" his life, has it changed for the better? And whether or not if it has, why does Stephen question himself? Is he truly convinced that he is leading a better life?
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