Theme Of Adventure In James Joyce's An Encounter

In “An Encounter,” James Joyce tells the story of 2 young boys who abandon school for a day in search of adventure. After another boy inspires them with Wild West novels, the narrator and his friend, Mahony, attempt to “break out of the weariness of school life for one day at least” (p. 13). The boys intend to visit a castle, but are exhausted before they arrive. As the narrator and Mahony rest in a field, they meet an older gentleman (p. 16). This man talks with the boys, asking about their education and “sweethearts” (p. 17). As the story develops, the man monologues on the whipping of young boys. He believes that no other punishment is beneficial, but that “a nice warm whipping” is the only acceptable discipline. Throughout his discourse, this man directly contradicts his previously made statements (p. 19). This inconsistency markedly frightens the narrator, and changes his perspective on adventure.

In Joyce’s work, the character of the narrator is shown as having a desire for adventure. However, as “An Encounter”

The narrator and Mahony lie about their whereabouts, and this deception creates a slight sense of nervousness throughout “An Encounter.” The risk of exposure is so alarming that one boy bows out of the expedition (p. 14). This shows that the consequences of their expedition, should it be discovered, would be regrettable. The narrator also has apprehension about the adventure, saying of the night before “that night I slept badly” (p. 14). Despite this risk, the narrator perseveres throughout the expedition, though with some discomfort. The narrator’s inclination towards adventure is also tested physically. As young boys, the narrator and Mahony quickly lose energy as the day progresses, and abandon the original intent of their escapade (p. 16). The boys’ fatigue shows that they did not fully realize what their adventure would entail