Critical Reflection in James Joyce's The Dubliners

Søren Kierkegaard, 19^th century theologian and seminal existential philosopher, journalized that "all deep thought begins and ends in the attempt to grasp whatever touches one most immediately" ("Critical Reflection"). The practice of thinking critically about one's own actions and experiences, effectively seeing oneself as others do, is something in which people tend to engage only at times of crisis. When trapped in unbearable circumstances, human beings either blame others and refuse to consider their surroundings, or examine their own behavior and make the decision to change. James Joyce, one of the foremost raconteurs of human drama, spins perfect examples of critical reflection (or lack thereof) in his book The Dubliners.

In the opening story, "Two Sisters," a boy comes to terms with the death of an old priest who had been his mentor. At first Joyce tells us only that Father Flynn is ill, leaving us to divine that he is infirm with old age - however, he soon leads us to suspect that there is something else at play. Among the boy's family is a sort of earthy philosopher, Old Cotter:

"No, I wouldn't say he was exactly... but there was something queer... there was something uncanny about him. I'll tell you my opinion...."

He began to puff at his pipe, no doubt arranging his opinion in his mind. Tiresome old fool! When we knew him first he used to be rather interesting, talking of faints and worms; but I soon grew tired of him and his endless stories about the distillery.

"I have my own theory about it," he said. "I think it was one of those ... peculiar cases .... But it's hard to say...." (Joyce 10).

Without using specific language to indicate of what he is speaking, Joyce clearly implies, through Old Cotter's ellipses, that Father Flynn had certain socially unacceptable proclivities. As the story unfolds, some of the women exchange gossip that leads to a slightly different idea of the priest's death. One recounts the story of how Father Flynn dropped the chalice in young James' presence, after which he began behaving strangely:

"That affected his mind," she said. "After that he began to mope by himself, talking to no one and wandering about by himself. So one night he was wanted for to go on a call and they couldn't find him anywhere. They looked high up and low down; and still they couldn't see a sight of him anywhere. So then the clerk suggested to try the chapel. So then they got the keys and opened the chapel and the clerk and Father O'Rourke and another priest that was there brought in a light for to look for him.... And what do you think but there he was, sitting up by himself in the dark in his confession-box, wide- awake and laughing-like softly to himself?" (Joyce 17).

The fact that Father Flynn drops what he is holding in the presence of the boy indicates his agitated state of mind; more than that, he drops the chalice, a symbol of the priesthood. His strange behavior indicates that he recognizes his own sin; here, critical reflection leads to a peaceful escape from a situation in which Father Flynn had likely been suffering for some time.

"Counterparts" paints the opposite scenario. The story opens with Farrington being abused by his boss, and closes with Farrington abusing his son:

"I'll teach you to let the fire out!" he said, rolling up his sleeve in order to give his arm free play.

The little boy cried "O, pa!" and ran whimpering round the table, but the man followed him and caught him by the coat. The little boy looked about him wildly but, seeing no way of escape, fell upon his knees.

"Now, you'll let the fire out the next time!" said the man striking at him vigorously with the stick. "Take that, you little whelp!"

The boy uttered a squeal of pain as the stick cut his thigh. He clasped his hands together in the air and his voice shook with fright.

"O, pa!" he cried. "Don't beat me, pa! And I'll... I'll say a Hail Mary for you.... I'll say a Hail Mary for you, pa, if you don't beat me.... I'll say a Hail Mary...." (Joyce 98).

In between he pub-crawls with his friends, drinking and wasting his meager funds without achieving the state of forgetful inebriation he seeks. He is trapped in a cycle that seems a microcosm of how Joyce sees the Irish proletariat. Cultural theorist Stuart Hall writes about the phenomenon of cultural identity that runs throughout Joyce's works, especially "Counterparts:" "Our cultural identities reflect the common historical experiences and shared cultural codes which provide us, as 'one people,' with stable, unchanging and continuous frames of reference and meaning, beneath the shifting divisions and vicissitudes of our actual history" (Searle 190). But in Joyce this cultural identity seems to be a trap more than anything, with Dublin itself symbolizing the shackles of the people who live there. Unlike Father Flynn, Farrington does not stop to critically reflect on his situation, and remains trapped in misery.

The same theme runs through many of the other stories, notably "Eveline," about a girl who has agreed to run away with her lover to escape the drudgery of her life with an intermittently abusive father. However, she loses, at the last second, her courage to escape the trap she's in.

Could she still draw back after all he had done for her? Her distress awoke a nausea in her body and she kept moving her lips in silent fervent prayer.

A bell clanged upon her heart. She felt him seize her hand:

"Come!"

All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart. He was drawing her into them: he would drown her. She gripped with both hands at the iron railing.

"Come!"

No! No! No! It was impossible. Her hands clutched the iron in frenzy. Amid the seas she sent a cry of anguish.

"Eveline! Evvy!"

He rushed beyond the barrier and called to her to follow. He was shouted at to go on but he still called to her. She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal. Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition (Joyce 41).

She is paralyzed. Even when given the opportunity to escape, she cannot bring herself to take the final step. "It was impossible" - only in her mind. Something about the city wraps tentacles around its inhabitants and renders them unable to leave both Dublin and their circumstances there. In this case, critical reflection only ends in her choosing to remain trapped in her circumstances.

Works Cited

"Critical Reflection." West Virginia University. Jul 28 2004.

Joyce, James. The Dubliners. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.

Searle, Leroy, ed. Course Reader: English 202 - Introduction to the Study of English Language and Literature. Seattle: University of Washington, 2006.