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.

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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.

Response to Leah,

I agree with you when you say that all the stories (that we have covered in class) have bad endings, and really lead to nothing. It makes it difficult to read through these stories because they are rather boring and i feel that while i am reading i am just looking for Joyce's method of revealing some sort of symbolism. I have to go back and re-read various paragraphs because i am too focused on searching for the meaning rather than the story itself.

JORDAN WELLS - WEEK TWO

This week we had to read "After the Race" and "The Two Gallants." I thought that these two stories were more difficult to read than the previous stories we read last week. Each story leads to a moral in the ending, sometimes i hard to catch the meanings due to Joyce's writing style. In "After the Race" we learn the differences of other countries through symbolism given within the peronalitly traits of the characters. I didn't really understand the symbolism after reading, the story lead to nothing, leaving it very confusing for me to understand. In "The Two Gallants" these two men, with very little values, use women to steal for them. These two men are low class people and there actions are disturbing.

Week 2

To comment on what Victoria said, I agree with much that you had to say. First off, once we went over the stories in class, a lot of things made since, as you noted. I think that was dead on when you said how all of the reoccurring symbols and themes portray Ireland’s issues. And nothing James Joyce does is an accident. My least favorite story was “Araby,” as well. The ending was inconclusive it seemed like.

Blog Post-Week 2

Upon reading the stories this week, I again noticed that the characters always have a moment revelation in which they recognize the truth of the situation, but do nothing to change it. In “After the Race”, Jimmy loses a game of cards, and gives a speech as he was intoxicated completely embarrassing himself. He hangs his head in his hands, knowing that regret will set in the next day, but the funny part about this is the next day is already there. This story suggests that regret is always lurking; as he ignores the situation he covers it with his obsession of wealth. The next short story, “Two Gallants” is about two men who convince a maid to steal from their employers. These men both live a shallow life, and are not very ambitious. The ironic thing about this story is these men are far from ‘gallant’, as the title of the story is “Two Gallants”. One of Joyce’s techniques throughout the Dubliners is using deep underlying messages about Irelands past, for instance, in “Two Gallant” a harp is used which is a traditional symbol of Ireland. Again, Lenehan’s dinner reflects the colors of Ireland’s flag, green peas and orange ginger beer. As we talked in class, the stories gradually begin to change and the characters start to grow as the stories go on. For example, the first few stories were about young boys, to teenagers and finally the last story “The Dead”. I find this very interesting, and as I continue reading these stories I find myself becoming more involved in each story.

Ashley Belcik

Blog Post Week 2 Jebediah Pritchard

The two stories covered this week,After the Race and The Gallants do indeed share a common theme. This a first may not be entirely apparent at first. It may be apparent that the stories are about Ireland, though there is another theme that it noted, perhaps a noted theme among many. The connecting strand that was noted by me was of a man as being a worthless , nothing, deprived animal living in a world of false constructs and hellish anxieties and realities . As Edgar Allan Poe has stated in Sonnet, to Science, “...........are dull realities”. A dull , morose reality is introduced in the readings and such concepts an reintroduced and reiterated in many of the others reading in Dubliners.

The two central characters in the reading are to a degree helpless They of course are also not helpless to a degree, the reality of the situation may be like the perception of the situations , though perception is highly subjective and this point , I believe should be considered. I am strongly reminded of the central character in Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground, an unnamed central character who is shy, introverted, timid , unhappy , bitter, morose, morbid, and generally in a sour state. The characters in Dubliners , say Jimmy and Lenehan are both mildly similar to Dostovyevsky's unnamed character, though what is sharply similar is the punishing state of affairs which these three mentioned charters find themselves in and their shared notion of change, though not that change will occur, though that each of these three characters considers change in a stated or unstated, indirect way.

Response to jrimmer 's Post

Are the stories in Dubliners in fact dark bleak tales? To an extent they may be. They are works of fiction that were based upon an author's perception of the situation of his homeland. To me it seems the stories are sweet and sour. There is hope in these stories combined with ill fortunes and a rough lot in life.

First Week of Blogs

Class:

You have all done a nice job of exploring the first four stories in The Dubliners. I sympathize with your feelings that the text is difficult. It is a misleading book. We tend to think of short things as easy things, but Joyce's stories are very thick and hard to work through. It will get easier, however. The stories are all related to one another and the themes will start to stick out for you more and more. I greatly encourage you all to look up any confusing references you see in the stories. It will help you a great deal. Also, pay close attention to any reference you see to the British, alcohol, iron railings, etc. Focusing in on these things will help you build connections between the stories. Remember, Joyce does nothing by accident. Every decision he makes in the text is deliberate. The Dubliners is a book filled with symbols.

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.

After reading the first four stories of the Dubliners, there is no doubt that all the stories have something very unique to them. Each story seems to focus on an epiphany in which the characters are strongly affected. The first story, "The Sisters", deals with death. The young boy in "The Sisters" is struck by the death of friend Father Flynn. In the second story, "An Encounter" these two boys decide to "escape" and skip school for a day and walk through Dublin. The two boys meet an older man who talks to the boys in rather disturbing fashion. This story exhibits the fact that new experiences can end up being very disturbing. After the first two stories it is apparent that James Joyce likes to write about the dark sides of life. In the third story, "Araby" James Joyce suggests that all people look for love and new life experiences in various aspects. Araby is a bazaar to which Magan's sister wants to go. The narrator, promises Magan to bring her a gift from this bazaar. In the end of the story the boy realizes his foolish dreams. The fourth story, "Eveline" deals with the struggles of holding onto the past when looking into the future. This story, like the others stories, has a strong meaning to it.

Dubliners Blog Post 1 Jebediah Pritchard

James Joyce writes in a very certain style, with a specific articulated method. The short stories that were covered for the week share a theme. That theme, is a theme that is pervasive in Joyce's Dubliners . That overarching theme that pervades the short stories is one of death and how death is dealt with. One may rightly wonder in reading the first stories as to why I would speak of them all as absorbed in the cloth of death. Perhaps it it more of doom, and the foreboding that certain events in life, events common to us all, having in fact in them each a dark hue. In " The Sisters", a priest does in fact die, in the most literal way, it is not a unique event in the stories, however. In "An Encounter " Joyce and his mate end up meeting an old man who is rather odd, and who puts the boys somewhat ill at ease. In reading the excerpt many conclusions can be drawn and to what the exact relationship between Joyce and the old man is, the view could be taken that the old man represents a sort of undeadness, yes the man breathes, though he is antiquated, as some odd carnival show that is broken in every way, though some how still lives on, en viced in the endless ever repeating stories(as they appear to be to Joyce), this I believe portends to death as well.
One may wonder how "Araby" can be about death, or some similar construct, and it is , though a romantic death occurs. A slow, painful sorrow comes over Joyce as the events of the bazaar evening do not go according to plan, nor in fact, the real fact, the events do not go to heart. A death all to familiar .
Jebediah Pritchard

Blog Assignment

Each week, you are to write a blog of approximately 200 words that covers the assigned readings for the week. Your posts should be comprehensive and should demonstrate that you have read the text. They should not, however, be a simple critique. Pose questions about the text. Try and analyze what you liked or disliked. Talk specifically about the writer's effectiveness in telling the story. Every two weeks write a 50 word response to another person's blog along with your regular post. This assignment is worth twenty percent of your grade.