Dubliners

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Dubliners

James Joyce wrote the book Dubliners at a critical period in Irish history. The book focuses on many tracks that the people of Dublin were stuck on at the time. Joyce provided insight into exactly why Dublin was so downtrodden and depressed. For my analysis I chose to write about “The Dead,” “After the Race,” and “Counterparts.” In these stories, Joyce portrays individuals whose freedom of choice leads them to continue their miserable lives through their irresponsible behaviors.

In each of the stories I chose to write about in Dubliners, money played an important role in the overall feel of the particular story. In “After the Race,” young Jimmy Doyle, fresh out of college, from an affluent Irish background decides to gamble away money his father had given him to invest. Joyce states, “Rapid motion through space elates one; so does notoriety; so does the possession of money. These were three good reasons for Jimmy’s excitement.” (37) However, Jimmy seems to be a fun loving kind of guy, therefore going to the yacht and partying with his friends until the sun comes out is nothing new for him. Jimmy is showing a lack of responsibility with his money and exercising free will, meanwhile it seems as if all Jimmy ever cares about is partying and having a good time. It states in the text that young Mr. Doyle was not the most academically motivated students while at Cambridge (36), and in fact lived the good life while his father funded his had to have his father buy his way into the school. It is money that allows these young men to party carelessly. Without a care in the world, these particular young lads in Dublin lead a life of luxury while so many are struggling to put food on the table.

The money issue in “Counterparts” is a little more desperate. Farrington is a poor, lowly worker at a law firm who hand copies papers. To escape his responsibilities, Farrington decides to drink away the afternoon with his friends in a tavern, instead of making up the work that he is responsible for. Moreover, to get the necessary funding to drink, Farrington pawns his watch off to get drunk.

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