"Her image had passed into his soul for ever and no word had broken the holy silence of his ecstasy. Her eyes had called him and his soul had leaped at the call. To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, to recreate life out of life!" (186)
This is one of the turning points for Stephen; a poignant revelation for him to recognize his calling to become a writer for his deep appreciation for words, language and beauty. A random girl wading in the water ignited a fire within his soul. In this passage, Stephen was capable of seeing the beauty of life, and a young, innocent girl made him realize the purity that love and women can possess. She was no longer an object of lust or desire that generated sinful thoughts, instead she was a mere person that evoked natural, untouched beauty.
As the scene continues, it becomes evident that Stephen is undergoing a life altering experience; a rebirth from the ground and world that produces his inspiration; he mentions awakening from "languor of sleep" (187) and it is from this sleep that a new outlook toward life was formed. He is enjoying each sensation and sense, and with that appreciation he is transforming into a matured man and artist. This sleep is allowing him to finally see magnificence of natural beauty, and how as an author, those beautiful images make all the difference.
He is recreating his own "life out of life." The only way for him to flourish as a writer is to accept and acknowledge the beauty within everything, and this clarifying moment allows him to realize that he will be capable of reaching his potential as a writer.
As Joyce is describing the experience, he uses words like "leaped" and "ecstacy" and this just shows Stephen's eagerness to start his journey in becoming one of the great writers he has always envied and admired.
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