Upon reading James Joyce's first few stories this week, I was some drawn into the dark, troubled times of Ireland that he seemed to cleverly incorporate into all of his works. The slight nod to a seemingly trying time period gave it a distinctive jolt to my attention. The first story, "The Sisters," consisted of a predominant theme involving the death of a priest, with a twist of mystery. What were the intentions of this crooked priest? Nothing in Joyce's works are unintentional, I can't help but wonder the reason behind this queer character. The second story, "The Encounter", was a showcase of Ireland's dire need of change, and we as human beings, to this day, are stuck in our unwavering routines. In the third story, "Araby", the symbols used to represent "coming of age" were unique. At the end, the boy goes through a discrete, but very life-altering experience. The story was very dark, as is all of these short stories in the collection. In "Eveline", she had a gateway to freedom, and she turned it down with no excuse but unfinished business. In conclusion, each individual short story by James Joyce has a dark, twisted storyline with a clear cut point.

First impressions from James Joyce's Dubliners

As we discussed in class last Friday, James Joyce's writing style can be 'sneaky'. His stories are descriptive in an attempt to engage ones mind in with the story. Some lines seem to fit in with the story, peering as a normal way to set the scene. Others have seemed to be unnecessary bits of information, steering away from the point of the story. Regardless to what these appear to be, most of these lines in the story serve a purpose for Joyce's deep underlying message about Ireland's past. I personally find this style of writing unique and impressive. To be able to write a story that is informative and entertaining is a true challenge. Another technique of Joyce's was the use of recurring themes, the most notable one being the theme of paralysis. The priest's physical downfalls as he battles old age, the strange man the boys encounter leading a life without morals or promising future, and a priest's demise, all focus on the paralysis of individuals and Ireland. I look forward to further picking apart Joyce's writing in the upcoming stories in Dubliners.