The Boarding House, a short story by Oona Frawley-Dubliners 100
There is a lot to like in this story but the one thing I don’t like( and it is a personal thing) is the use of the first-person “Oirish Mammy” voice that many authors use to sounds humorous or ironic or some other reason!
This story is narrated in three voices, which helps dilute that “Oirish” voice somewhat. We have the Mammy, the daughter and the son-in-law. The husband and wife live with the Mammy after the bust of the Irish economy. The husband, in his section, explains the reasons behind his addiction. The wife, in her section, tries to see why her husband is doing what he is doing and the Mammy’s section comes across somewhat not fresh. It is only in the last few pages, where the daughter narrates her sadness, upon stroking her very pregnant belly, that we hear the Mammy’s voice in a fresh way. Through muffled voices downstairs as she tries to speak to her son-in-law and save their marriage.
I was really moved by this story, a clever variation again on the Boarding House theme but more emotive and stirring. Oona sees more in human nature than Joyce does and shows her characters more empathy and understanding. I really liked it. Just lose the Mrs Doyle voice and nobody gets hurt!
Another of my favourites.
The Boarding House by Oona Frawley is published in Dubliners 100, Tramp Press.
The Boarding House, a short story by James Joyce. Available in Dubliners.
Another favourite of mine, The Boarding House is great example of a story that will never age. A “Madam” runs a boarding house and utilises her daughter, Polly to help her “entertain” the men. We know what type of house the Madam is running! It is a seedy look at Dublin and a cynical look at the power in social classes and money in Ireland at the time. Very much brings me to thinking of the Madam in the “Love/Hate” series. Not much has changed!
Polly is to be set up with a wealthy clerk, marriage is to be arranged and Mr. Doran, the clerk must accept the deal that Madam is making. Mr. Doran is perplexed. However, he is as bad as Polly’s mother. Indeed, Polly is a deceptive woman too so the whole house is full of cunning thieves who will do anything to make money and get what they want. A good match.
“Dublin is such a small city, everyone knows everyone elses business” Still true today. Am looking forward to Orna Frawley’s take on The Boarding House in my next blog post!
Two Gallants by Evelyn Conlon-a short story from Dubliners 100
The two gallants is probably one of my favourites of the Dubliners’ collection by Joyce. I love the setting, the characters and the historical meaning. Joyce himself lists this as the most important and his favourite of the 15 stories.
I would think that any author taking this on would do well to use their version as a commentary on the relationship Ireland has now within the political or social sphere of Europe. But, that might be too obvious.
Instead, Evelyn Conlon focused on the cyclical nature of the Dubliners and the two characters within Joyce’s wider work such as Finnegan’s Wake and Ulysses.
If you read my last blog post, you might remember that this story is about two naughty, young lads who spend their days conning maids out of money and probably sex. Joyce uses this theft as a symbol of where he felt Ireland stood in terms of their history and relationship with England.
Conlon steers it in a different direction. Her story is set at a Joyce conference. Clever stuff. She focuses on academics who steal their colleague’s writing. She is making the theme new and fresh yet keeping the original one. It is a challenge to read, compared to the original as it flits back and forth, in and out out of the city, conference and Joyce’s story. It also cleverly commits a theft in its own way, once from Joyce’s story and then from William Trevor’s story called “Two More Gallants”, which was a response or cover version to Joyce.
This not only reinforces the idea of theft and betrayal, the huge themes from the original Dubliners but it connects the story to the whole of the Dubliners’ collection, Ulysses and Finegan’s Wake as the two characters from the original story pop up in Ulysses.
As we know, Joyce’s Two Gallants sets the story in a circular map and route within Dublin city, the characters arriving back to where they came from so credit must be given to Evelyn for being this inventive and respectful to the voice and intention of Joyce. I feel that even thought this wasn’t the most entertaining of the new Dubliners’ story that it stands up brilliantly as a homage to Joyce but making it fresher for a present day Dublin.
Two Gallants written by Evelyn Conlon can be found in the new Dubliners 100 collection published by Tramp Press.
After the race by Andrew Fox, a short story from Dubliners 100
After really enjoying Donal Ryan’s take on Eveline, I didn’t think the next story could top it. But, Andrew Fox’s take on After the race is brilliant and clever.
Andrew Fox is a short story writer I had never heard of, apologies to him if he is quite the well-known short story writer! According to his bio, he lives in New York City(Lucky duck) and writes drama for radio and is also releasing a new anthology of short stories from Penguin Ireland is forthcoming. Always exciting to hear new, Irish short story writers.
He brings a unique style and edge to the story. Joyce’s story is a bit poncey and reaks of Joyce’s time, something I found it hard to relate to or even care too much about. Andrew Fox changes the setting and moves it from Dublin to New York City. The car race becomes a marathon race and the rich gentlemen become rich, rich bankers.
The main character though remains Irish and this is where the story comes to life. Irish themes of isolation, debt, worries about money and the recession are brought to life in a new setting. It doesn’t matter that this story is set in New York.
The last scene in which James, the Irish character, takes the rich bankers on in a video game, a shooter game. All these touches bring the story up to date and actually increase the point of the original story. The last paragraph is wonderfully written, almost bettering Joyce’s “Daybreak” dialogue. /
Andrew Fox speaks to the reader in a fast-paced, movie like language and I thoroughly enjoyed this. My favourite so far.
After the Race is one of the fifteen short stories in the new Dubliners 100, published by Tramp Press. Drop back in next time to my blog where I will be looking at Joyce’s Two Gallants short story.
After the Race is still one of my least favourite stories in the Dubliners collection by James Joyce. On an emotional level alone, I could not connect though it raises some very relevant questions for us now as Irish citizens in the state of Europe.
It is about an young Irish gentleman, Jimmy whose family has high pretensions for themselves and Jimmy. Jimmy’s father pushes him into situations where he will meet wealthy and intelligent people. He does meet such a man, a French man called Ségouin. Ségouin is super rich and has the lifestyle that Jimmy would love. It all ends on a pessimistic note, a realisation of sorts for the main character that he will never be the same as Ségouin.
Joyce is making a strong point about nationalism, Europe and its imperial grip. France and England are seen as the superpowers and Ireland is being placed right at the bottom of the grading.Joyce is angry at the Irish, wealthy people who are not helping Ireland in its cause. They are only aiding Ireland remaining part of a colony, according to Joyce.Ireland has no real power though it likes to think it has. Jimmy is powerless as is Ireland and no amount of new money will cover that up. Like Jimmy, who takes part in a card game with Ségouin, Ireland can play but will not succeed like the super countries of the European empire.
Andrew Fox is given the difficult task of re imagining Ireland and its place in Europe now. Where is Ireland and its wealth? Are we any better off? Are we respected and equal now in Europe? Come back to my blog and I will be hopefully answering these questions while reviewing Andrew Fox’s take on After the Race.
After the Race is a short story from the Dubliners collection written by James Joyce.
On a simple level, this story tells us about Eveline, a 19 year old lady who is trying to make a decision. To stay with her somewhat abusive father in Dublin or travel and move abroad with her sailor-boy beau, Frank to a lifetime of happiness. Her mother has died and so has her brother and she feels the guilt of being loyal to her father pulling her. The climax of the story again, like many of the stories in Dubliners, comes quickly. She makes her mind up but then changes it in the last paragraph. A really emotional and powerful story.
We get the themes of paralysis, Eveline is frozen in her thoughts and movements at the end of the story. We get that awful depressing theme of death. Her closest family members have died and she even imagines that Frank might kill her though we are given no other references to him being aggressive.
It can be read as a basic quest fable. As can the stories of Araby and The Encounter. Eveline dreams of moving to Argentina, to escape her abusive father and hold her mother’s memory true. It is an idealistic persuit, though. She builds up to it and nearly follows through but falls in the last part. In the end, her guilt and sense of duty to routine, her father and her home holds her back. We do not know if she goes ever.
Eveline, a short story is published in Dubliners by James Joyce.
Come back tomorrow to read my comparative analysis and review of Eveline by Donal Ryan. I am very excited about this one. Donal Ryan is new and I am hoping this quality will bring with it the thing I have been searching for in this new Dubliners 100 collection.
The third story from James Joyce’ Dubliners is called Araby, the title is a reference to the bazaar which features in the story itself. It also alludes to the exotic nature of the theme of the story.
It is narrated from a young boy’s point of view, which gives the story an inward and awkward feel. The main character is in love with a lovely girl referred to as “Mangan’s sister”, it is set in North Richmond Street in Dublin. The story is short and quickly builds to Joyce’s epiphany for his character. The narrator goes off on a quest to buy something for Mangan’s sister. He becomes preoccupied with this quest and his day leading up to it is tiresome and routine. So far, these themes of routine and day to day life being at the forefront of Joyce’s Dubliners. He eventually gets to the Bazaar to purchase a gift for Mangan’s sister.
He arrives late and the market is silent and dark. He hangs around a few stalls and does not buy anything, due to a number of reasons. He gets an awful realisation in the last paragraph when he fails his quest. A lady at the last stall rejects him. He takes this as an almost sexual rejection and is humiliated and embarrassed and sees this small incident as a big one. He turns away from the bazaar, this is the reality. He has faced up to something that most people may never face up to. His vision of perfect, sexualised and romantic love is tarnished and love will always cause pain. Routine is the best, comfort does not cause pain to a human. New experiences cause pain.
Araby is one of 15 stories in James Joyce’s Dubliners, a short story collection which you can pick up for a couple of euro or free on your kindle! Bargain!
Call back to my blog tomorrow as I will be giving my thoughts on John Boyne’s re modelling of this very story from the new Dubliners 100 collection. High hopes!
An Encounter-a short story written by Mary Morrissy from the Dubliners 100
The brilliant thing about Joyce’s Dubliners short story collection is the symbiosis that occurs between each story and the whole collection. Dubliners 100 is a new short story collection, each story written by a new author. This makes it harder to ensure there is a natural progression and development between each story and the collection.
This becomes apparent in Mary Morrissy’s take on An Encounter, The first story in the collection, written by Patrick Mc Cabe is Three Sisters. This story sets the tone for the collection and the second story builds and adds to its meaning and reading. The style is also quite similar, both narrated in the first person and with almost the same type of writing style, we can easily explore and access its shared themes.
Mary Morrissy and Patrick Mc Cabe are complete opposites, in terms of the style they have used in these stories. The way they have interpreted the themes of Joyce’s story is entirely different. Mc Cabe lifts the story up and turns it on its head, it is a subtle and whacky take. Whereas, Morrissy plays with the theme, almost replicating the story of An Encounter but adds wonderfully reflective flashbacks from the young narrator’s past.
Morrissy’s An Encounter is narrated by a young girl, with a friend who we hate and she hates too. They head off on an adventure. They bump into a hugely apparent weird old man. The narrator is left in a state of numbness or paralysis as Joyce’s Leo character. She is saved by her friend and also has a realisation about her youth through a future scene with her father.
There is nothing wrong with replicating the events of An encounter. To be honest, I think that this story has became so iconic and the evil pedophile image is so stereotyped now that it is difficult for the reader not to be led to the conclusion that this is a bad man. Morrissey does add a twist at the end that attempts to move from this and this is a brave thing. I think that this story would have been the most difficult to write and do something different with. However, Joyce’s subtle way of not showing what the bad man in his story is doing and leaving much to the reader’s imagination is superior to this version. The image of the pedophile is over played. We are told and told and told that there is danger in this man whereas in the Joyce original, we remain uncomfortable and unsure, almost sheltered.
I enjoyed the story and admire its take on the themes, its clever use of flashback and description of the landscapes. Joyce wins this round, as always in my own humble opinion. It’s hard to please a Rozzie.
An Encounter by Mary Morrissy is a short story in the new collection, Dubliners 100, published by Tramp Press and launched on 5th June 2014.
Review:Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane
Clay Jannon is out of work. He finds a job in a peculiar and appealing(to book worms) bookshop that stays open for 24 hours. It’s owned by a very strange man called Mr. Penumbra who gives Clay certain rules to abide by when he starts on his first day. But, all is not what it seems and Clay finds himself in a eccentric and nerdy world.
On first glance, you can take this book as a piece of popular fiction. We have interesting and quirky characters and a mystery plot. We have as romance. We have google. Lots of google. We have the evil enemy in the guise of the Fellowship of the Unbroken Spine. The plot and story kept me reading late into the night until the last section where it ended in a nicely sewn up way. i won’t give anything away.
However, this book is for book lovers. It is for that section of readers that prefer the book, the smell of the spine, the feel of each page between their fingers as opposed to the coldness of a kindle, the internet and the rise of google. Books becoming meanless code that can be fed into a computer or a big, google box to be churned out for meaning. These themes and messages kept me thinking, to be honest. It’s a real nerd’s book and a real bookshop lovers dream. A very cooly written book, where you will side with Clay and what he believes in, both of you passionate about the same thing-reading and books.
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane is published by Atlantic Books.
An Encounter, a short story written by James Joyce, is the second story in the Dubliners short story collection. Joyce carries on with his overarching themes of paralysis, religion, ritual and routine and the sinister, dirty man from the first story is brought to life in a new but familiar form.
We have the basic story of two young boys who go on the doss from school. Leo, the narrator and Mahony go on an adventure in various parts of Dublin. They want to break out of the seemingly boring school life they have but when something adventurous happens, they realise they don’t actually want this. The introduction of the “adventure” comes in the form of a brilliant, subtle man. Mahony leaves the narrator alone and we, as the reader, as we well as the boys are tuned in immediately to his oddness. He begins talking about girls and then moves onto the topic of whipping. This is where the paralysis sets in for the narrator and for the reader as we are left hopeless but not quite sure what will happen.
This story contains so much in it but also builds on the story before where the narrator deals with a rite of passage, death and here in this story, the narrator deals with a change in his life, a realisation that he is alone and unlike the boy who he thought was his friend. It ends on a lonely note with the narrator being glad that Mahony has returned to “save him” but yet, he realises he never really liked him anyway.
I absolutely adore this story. I love the themes. i love the writing and the description of Dublin. I love the weirdness and the way it links with the last story. I love the genius of the fact that Joyce pushes and develops his themes from story to story. This is no ordinary short story collection though can be read as just that, an entertainment but a reflection on life and what it is to be a human, with all the inner turmoil that goes with it. Joyce was a bit of a fe^&er that way. He the man.
An Encounter is the second story in Dubliners written by James Joyce. Read my next blog post where I will compare this story with Mary Morrissy’s one, her story An Encounter is published in the Dubliners 100, published by Tramp Press and launched on 7th June 2014.