"I think a child should be allowed to take his father's or mother's name at will on coming of age. Paternity is a legal fiction"

In this quote, James Joyce is expressing his belief that a child must have the liberty to pick whether to take their dad's or mom's name when they reach adulthood. He argues that the principle of paternity, or the legal recognition of a father, is merely a construct and not a biological fact. For that reason, he thinks that a child ought to not be bound by this legal fiction and should have the company to choose their own identity. This quote highlights Joyce's progressive views on specific autonomy and difficulties standard social norms surrounding household and inheritance.