IOC.2015

The Sisters

 

Theme:

     The theme that was developed is one of the questioning of the authority figure in Dublin.

   Beginning - 

     Initial doubt in the church: The beginning of the story has the uncle fostering a doubt in the child for the church, trying to turn him away from its influence.

        - " I wouldn't like children of mine to have too much to say to a man like that....it's bad for children because their minds are                 so impressionable. When children see things like that, you know, it has an effect...." p.2

   Middle - 

     Lack of eye contact: The narrator refuses to make eye contact with Old Cotter; this shows that elders typically have authority even though the narrator is very knowledgeable, and maybe even smarter than his elders despite him being younger."

         - "Old Cotter looked at me for a while. I felt that his little beady black eyes were examining me but I would not satisfy him                 by looking up from my plate." p.2

   End - 

     Priest goes crazy: The priest is crazy by end of story, showing how the church has lost its power as the leading authority. The fact that the priest goes crazy shows how he represents the view of the Dubliners, being outdated and stuck in its mindset.

          - "Wide-awake and laughing-like to himself....So then, of course, when they say that, that was them think that there was                      something gone wrong with him..." p.10

Literary Features:

     1. Motif of Paralysis: The paralysis of the priest represents the inability of the church to change. It is unable to move out for the past, which is causing it to decline. The priest's paralysis symbolises the inability of the church to change. It also relates to the motif of how Dublin freezes you in your place, not letting you escape.

     2. Symbolism: The priest represents the church in this story, the characters view of the priest being representative of their view of the church.

                 - "There was no hope for him this time: it was the third stroke." p.1

                        - This quote represents the situation for the priest, yet if the wording is slightly altered, it could read that there                                  was no hope for them this time, it was the third strike. This goes to show how the church has lost its position as a                              leader, three strikes and they were out.

 

The epiphay moment for the character in this story is when he is told about the priest being crazy. At this point in the chapter, the boy realised that the man he had devoted time to was in fact crazy, and he had wasted time on the church, an outdateed system.

                 - "But the grey face still followed me, it murmured; and I understood that it desired to confess something." p.3

                 - "The reading of the card persuaded me that the was dead and I was distrurbed to find myself at check." p. 2

                 - These quotes depict how after the priest's death. The boy was disturbed by him, and feeling at check shows how his relationship was an uneasy one, and now that its over, he is at peace.