Chelsey Cresap Blog Week 2

This past week we read the two short stories "After the Race" and "Two Gallants." These two stories had a similar messages, both having to do with the main characters recognizing the truth about their lives but the choose to go on and do nothing about it. Jimmy in "After the Race" is playing a disasterous game of poker. He gambled away all of his money and thinks to himself he is going regret this in the morning. He then realizes the sun has already come up and he feels no different. This symbolizes Ireland realizing they need to change but nobody ever does anything about it. In "Two Gallants" two men make a living by getting girls to steal for them. These men are low lives, both shallow and shady. They do not have strong ambitions for life and basically depend on everyone else for their success. This story is ironic because it is called "Two Gallants" and the two men are not gallants at all. Through out all of the short stories in The Dubliners the messages all seem to be the same. There is symbolism for Ireland, how the are a basically a disgrace of a country and how they need to better themselves. Joyce contantly refers to the lack of change, just how he did by Jimmy in "After the Race." He also refers to Irelands laziness and lack of ambition to better their own country as he shows again in "Two Gallents." After reading over all the blogs a lot of them sound very similar to mine. In response to Jordan I agree. I thought I would get used to his style of writing but I haven't. I never fully understand what the stories truley mean until we talk about them in class. It is very difficult to decode all of the hidden meanings and stabs towards Ireland.