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