| "Dubliners" of James Joyce is a unique | | | | are considered a part of the |
| work of literature in many senses. The | | | | upper-class. The author lets the ready |
| primary outstanding feature of this book | | | | know that Jimmy understands that he is |
| lies in the very structure of it. It | | | | not fitting in and does not have what it |
| consists of four major elements, that in | | | | takes to be as witty and as clever as |
| turn consist of few stories that are not | | | | his friends, but what matter to him is |
| connected with each other but the reader | | | | this: "He had been seen by many of his |
| somehow realizes that they all talk | | | | friends that day in the company of these |
| about common things that were present in | | | | Continentals." (Joyce 39). Such shallow |
| Irish society at that time. The order of | | | | comprehension of happiness is undeniably |
| the stories is specifically designed to | | | | criticized by James Joyce. |
| show the reader how the characters of | | | | Describing dinner in its outrageous |
| the book are growing and changing their | | | | falsity the author stresses how shallow |
| views and attitudes. Joyce was a master | | | | Jimmy's family as a whole part of the |
| of constructing books in such a way so | | | | Irish society is. They are proud of |
| that he could convey deep meaning to the | | | | their son's acquaintances only because |
| reader not only through the master theme | | | | they have foreign names, and his father |
| but also with the help of | | | | even talks to the Hungarian although he |
| systematically, almost geometrically | | | | is very poor. It is hard to believe that |
| organized stories and events. Evidently | | | | society described by James Joyce in |
| such approach made possible designing a | | | | "Dubliners" wanted to mimic all the |
| masterpiece of "Dubliners" in which | | | | "great" other countries and were losing |
| fourfold composition was meant to | | | | their own identity as a nation. This was |
| describe people who were born, matured | | | | especially well seen from a distance |
| and died in Dublin. | | | | that Joyce was writing his book. He was |
| Through the first section of the book | | | | not in Dublin when he created his |
| James Joyce is portraying childhood. It | | | | masterpiece; being away gave him a |
| is interesting to observe that all three | | | | different prospective on the city and |
| stories of the childhood section are | | | | its residents. Citizens such as Jimmy |
| told from the first person and we as | | | | are caught in paralysis and seem to have |
| readers become totally submerged into | | | | no way out, although they are able to |
| the world seen through the eyes of | | | | control to some events in their lives |
| ten-year old boys. Such a sincere and | | | | and avoid troubles. "He knew that he |
| receptive tone of the stories | | | | would regret in the morning but at |
| communicates the feeling of innocence | | | | present he was glad of the rest, glad of |
| which is accompanying the heroes. The | | | | the dark stupor that would cover up his |
| author thus sees these boys as young | | | | folly." (Joyce 44) that is how Jimmy |
| people unspoiled by the society outside | | | | thinks when he loses game after game on |
| of their imaginary world. As Joyce says | | | | the yacht. He is unable to control |
| "I have written it for the most part in | | | | himself and can't stop losing his |
| a style of scrupulous meanness.."(Gorman | | | | father's money. The author does not give |
| v-iv), this line was about "Dubliners". | | | | explanation, as to why he acts the way |
| Comparing the actual work and this | | | | he does, but one thing is apparent- he |
| characteristic of the author it becomes | | | | is trapped in a stupor and it is beyond |
| evident that indeed his characters are | | | | his power to turn around and walk away. |
| quite boring and subtle in what they do | | | | Epiphany that Joyce includes in every |
| and say. Their images according to Joyce | | | | story is meant to bring revelation to |
| are all the same and that is where the | | | | the heroes if only for a moment and give |
| "paralysis" theme is uncovered. | | | | them the insight on reality of what is |
| The first story in "Dubliners" is "The | | | | happening around them. "Daybreak, |
| sisters" it sets the tone for the entire | | | | gentlemen!" is such epiphany in Jimmy's |
| book. It starts with a quiet depressing | | | | case, who would see that the night has |
| line: "There was no hope for him this | | | | ended with its vicious traps that have |
| time: it was the third stroke." (Joyce | | | | captured his mind. By contrasting the |
| 4). Clearly James Joyce here attempts to | | | | daylight with the night's troubles the |
| tell the reader what he thinks of | | | | author deepens the feeling of deception |
| citizens of his native city altogether. | | | | that the characters are living with. |
| Such sad beginning can hardly lead to | | | | Third part of the book is meant to |
| the positive ending, as we see it happen | | | | contain maturity stage of a person |
| in the end of the book. In this short | | | | living in Dublin in the middle of the |
| story the author shows how the world of | | | | twenty's century. "He took up his pen |
| adults and childhood is clashing and how | | | | and dipped it in the ink but he |
| the two can barely understand each | | | | continued to stare stupidly at the last |
| other. So a little boy who finds out | | | | words he had written"(Joyce 89) this was |
| about his friend's death does not know | | | | the way how many people in the city |
| how to behave in a standard way as | | | | existed according to James Joyce. |
| adults do. He meets face to face with | | | | Farrington who is a copier is living a |
| loss of someone who was dear to him and | | | | pitiful live, he understands that all |
| who truly understood him. This event | | | | ingredients of it only enrage him but do |
| brings a new realization of how things | | | | not bring satisfaction. He is not a |
| really are for the boy as he can see the | | | | young fellow anymore like those in |
| dead priest in a different light. His | | | | "After the Race" and there is hardly any |
| aunt and Father Flynn's sister are | | | | chance that the course of his life will |
| talking about him: "He was too | | | | change. This sad circumstance, Joyce |
| scrupulous always, she said." (Joyce 10) | | | | intensifies by description of |
| and this new image that is painted by | | | | Farrington's inner rage and violence for |
| them appears to be somewhat unusual for | | | | people at work, wife and children at |
| the boy. That is when he comprehends | | | | home and his general sense of |
| that he is not a youngster without his | | | | frustration in all spheres of his |
| own thoughts and ideas, but he perceives | | | | existence. Obviously such situation is |
| himself as an individual. Such change in | | | | not a rare one even in our modern |
| boy's perception of the world is crucial | | | | society, when people are strapped in |
| as it implies that he will be no longer | | | | circumstances that they probably have |
| dreaming like children do but will be | | | | never envisioned for themselves. The |
| immersed in environment where society | | | | real world appears to be a cruel and |
| rules and where religion is a light in | | | | difficult place to survive in and such |
| the end of the tunnel not a vivid life | | | | reality hits the hero of "Counterparts". |
| around them. | | | | Thus he is choosing to hide in the bars |
| Obviously the author is hinting on the | | | | with his so called friends drinking |
| general mood of Dublin's life and its | | | | himself to unconscious state in which he |
| inhabitants. By dramatically depicting | | | | wishes to stay most of the time seeking |
| death of the priest and gloomy | | | | escape from his problems. |
| relatives, he gives the reader an | | | | Hopelessness is one word that can |
| illustration of what is happening to the | | | | describe the situation in which |
| people in the city, especially those | | | | Farrington has found himself. This |
| religiously inclined. Letting the priest | | | | single episode accumulates the entire |
| die on the first page of the book, he | | | | section of Irish society that was stuck |
| thus already concludes that religion | | | | in problems because of drinking and |
| with its ancient texts does not provide | | | | unwillingness to change their lives. Too |
| answers to the question of happiness and | | | | lazy and too scared to act in order to |
| contentment in life. Irony of "The | | | | start living a happy life was too much |
| Sisters" matures from the idea that the | | | | of a task. Stagnation in existence of |
| boy was almost in love with the priest | | | | such Farringtons caused them to give |
| and thought of him as authority. When he | | | | birth to the same kind of people as they |
| dies however, it appears that he was | | | | were unable to provide a better example, |
| going mad. This controversy serves for | | | | and society kept locked in this |
| James as the basis for proving his idea | | | | paralyzed circle. The final and most |
| that religious truths have little to do | | | | symbolic part of the book is called "the |
| with the real world in most instances. | | | | public life", needless to say that the |
| Although the boy believes his friend, he | | | | author has named it for specific |
| needs to wake up from the perfect dream | | | | reasons. Three previous sections |
| and meet with reality in which things | | | | represented phases in a person's life |
| are not as positive looking as in the | | | | but the last one is a picture of the |
| sacred Latin texts. "The Sisters" as the | | | | entire society, in which individuals are |
| first book out of fifteen in "Dubliners" | | | | shaping the norms and views that in turn |
| demonstrates that Irish society is | | | | affect society as a whole. Gabriel |
| deeply paralyzed by disagreement between | | | | Conroy is the main character in the last |
| rules that are imposed on its members | | | | story "The Dead" that takes place at the |
| and process of moral decay that is | | | | holiday dance. Clearly the setting of it |
| constantly developing in the city's | | | | plays a separate role that has to |
| streets. Human inability to decide how | | | | emphasize the reality as opposed to that |
| to live in accordance with their natural | | | | one during the ball. The entire story is |
| wishes concerns the author who is | | | | built around Gabriel and his encounters |
| depicting low-spirited people living as | | | | with other guests. Those experiences are |
| if they were waiting to die any minute. | | | | not of a pleasant character for him |
| In the second set of stories that Joyce | | | | because they are forcing him to come out |
| considered adolescence period, "After | | | | of his shell of egocentrism and |
| the Race" is a significant one for a few | | | | selfishness. Joyce intends to reveal the |
| reasons. It introduces a group of | | | | notion of objectivity in Gabriel's |
| fellows, representatives from different | | | | epiphany and thus show how everyone in |
| countries who are somehow united. | | | | the society is connected. His epiphany |
| Clearly the three gentlemen from France | | | | illustrates that an objective |
| and Hungary have found a common ground | | | | perspective can lead to genuine sympathy |
| in their education and interests that | | | | between people that is caused by |
| they shared. All three of them were | | | | realization of human mortality. The |
| foreigners in Dublin and that made them | | | | author in his story calls for unity in |
| such a unique crowd. Jimmy was with | | | | people and uses tools such as death and |
| them, although he was too excited by the | | | | despair in his writing, as those symbols |
| mere thought of it to actually | | | | signify important things in everybody's |
| understand and enjoy things that were | | | | life and make people realize and |
| happening around him. In this story | | | | appreciate what they have. Once again |
| James Joyce specifically indicates that | | | | Joyce's genius found a way to convey his |
| even young people in his city were | | | | thoughts through masterful writing. |
| poisoned by the perception of wealth and | | | | "Dubliners" is a work of art that |
| money power, but moreover a social | | | | requires scrupulous investigation and |
| status-class. It is a known fact that | | | | knowledge of historical background of |
| social class in Ireland and Great | | | | Ireland. It paints a picture of |
| Britain is of great importance and means | | | | individual's life from childhood to |
| even more than personal qualities, it is | | | | being a public figure, or a merely dead |
| like a verdict which defines | | | | body according to the author. He shows |
| personality. | | | | how children stop dreaming and seeing |
| In this story Joyce gives Jimmy, the | | | | life in through pink glasses and how |
| main character, his father's money and | | | | their illusions are broken by death of a |
| education that was enough to be elevated | | | | friend. Adolescence as a second step in |
| in class. It seems that those things | | | | life requires clever decisions and |
| would be enough to provide Jimmy with | | | | strong will, without which future |
| respect and high standing. Ironically, | | | | happiness is hardly reachable. This |
| it does satisfy the requirements of the | | | | point is proved in a third fragment of a |
| society, but the hero himself cannot | | | | movie called life and people who were |
| agree with his destiny. He is depressed | | | | not careful during early years will pay |
| by the fact that he is not that noble | | | | for it when maturity comes. |
| and is not born in the aristocratic | | | | Transformations that each individual has |
| family like his new French friends. The | | | | to undergo in life Joyce reduced to the |
| idea behind this is that he feels | | | | size of the book in attempt to depict a |
| oppressed and does not fit into this | | | | "moral history" (Gorman v-iv) of his |
| group of people, although he really | | | | city according to his own words. He is |
| wants to appear as equal. Again in the | | | | not being very sympathetic with his |
| beginning of "After the Race", Joyce | | | | fellow countrymen who are kept paralyzed |
| expresses his initial attitude toward | | | | by either: religious misconceptions, |
| people like Jimmy: "Now and again the | | | | dissatisfaction of personal status or |
| clumps of people raised the cheer of the | | | | simple laziness. Joyce however is being |
| gratefully oppressed"(Joyce 37). This | | | | generous sometimes and grants Dubliners |
| line is characterizing people such as | | | | a glimpse of truth and reality that is |
| Jimmy, who are willing to be | | | | lost in every day's routine and social |
| psychologically oppressed if they only | | | | constrains. |