Week 2

After reading the stories from this week, I got more into the Dubliners. There's always re-occuring themes in these short stories. In "After the Race," Jimmy's father basically fosters Jimmy's social status. Like many characters in The Dubliners, Jimmy has a moment of revelation in which he recognized the truth of his situation but does nothing about it. It is ironic how he knows he will regret playing poker the next day, but it is actually already daylight of tomorrow. What I got out of "After the Race" was that Ireland always finishes in last place. In "Two Gallants," the two main characters are pretty much "playing Ireland". Lenehan yearns for a comfortable,settled down life, and he's so desperate for money, he ends up duping maids with his friend Corely. There is a constant worry for betrayal, which is another reoccuring theme throughout the book. I like how the themes keep popping up, it is interesting to catch them as we read.