Formalistic Analysis Dubliners

A detailed Summary of Formalistic Analysis Dubliners

In James Joyce's Dubliners, we are introduced to a number of themes and symbols through a variety of short stories. One such theme that makes Dubliners a highly unified literary work is that of paralysis. This unity can be seen in many of the stories, but this paper will look specifically at "A Painful Case," "Eveline," "A Little Cloud" and "The Sisters." Through the images and emotions he uses in his characters, Joyce shows us that at least one main character, from each of these four short stories, experiences some sort of paralysis in their respective lives.

To begin, in "A Painful Case" Mr. Duffy is paralyzed in a sense with the fear of actually being with someone who loves him because he feels that every soul must be lonely. He is so used to being lonely that when he meets Mrs. Sinico he doesn't realize how truly good she is for him. He is struck with a feeling of paralysis because he has been alone for so long that being with someone else doesn't feel right. Mr. Duffy is too cowardly into enter a committed relationship with a sensitive woman, and condemns her and himself to a life without love. He doesn't realize that being lonely is no way to live life because loneliness is all that he knows. He chooses to be

"made it" in London and Paris and that he rubs it in Little Chandlers face. When Chandler returns home he has a feeling of paralysis when he sees his wife and child. His previously comfortable home seems now to be shabby. He feels that his life isn't good enough because he compares it to Gallaher's life, but fails to take in to account how lonely Gallaher must be. Little Chandler, up to this point in his life, has been happy and thought of a his life as a good one, but the feeling of paralysis in terms of his life's inadequacy makes him forget how happy he was. His new perceptions cause him to neglect his weeping child and his wife's inevitable anger serves as a revelation to him. The image of him holding his baby and not trying to quiet or soothe her cries shows his paralysis because he can't hear her cries or can't grasp the concept that she is crying. He is too paralyzed with the thought that his life is inadequate and thus he neglects his child. His wife, in a sense, re-opens Chandlers eyes as to how good he has it with her anger because he realizes that he is being thoughtless and insensitive. After this revelation the feeling of inadequacy and paralysis subside and we can only assume that he resumes his life with a positive outlook. In Joyce's stories, "A Little Cloud" and "The Sisters" we see an indirect or unexplained feeling of paralysis through characters he creates.

In "A Little Cloud," we see a different sort of paralysis in Little Chandler. The type of paralysis that he experiences is one of feeling that his life is inadequate. After the meeting that he has with his old friend Gallaher, Little Chandler is filled with discontent and frustration at the thought that his old friend

In "Eveline," we see a young girl struggle with the obligations that she has towards her family as well as her yearning to leave those oblig

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Approximate Word count = 1251
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English