Typed notes (To be added)
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Cat Scratch Notes: (Yet to be completed)
Showing posts with label english. Show all posts
Showing posts with label english. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Ivy Day in the Committee Room
Ivy Day in the Committee Room
Starting off with the title: Ivy day is the day to remember and honour Charles Stewart Parnell, he is a very important figure for the Irish and many people looked to him to change Ireland and help them break free from British rule. (Home Rule) October 6th (1891)is the day that Parnell died, and also the date of when this story takes place as a day of remembrance for Parnell.
It starts off with Old Jack and Mr. O’Connor, one of the canvasses (people that go out and try to get votes from people).
O’Connor is supposed to be out working to get votes but instead he stay insides the committee room. O’Connor does not really take his job seriously, when the tries to light his cigarette, the uses the (old jack offered match) pasteboard card that advertises the Municipal election, which kind of shows he doesn’t really care at all in supporting the new Nationalist candidate, Tierney.
The room is dark with only light from the hearth (fireplace).Overall it shows just how dismal and dark things seem with Parnell’s death. The weather outside was also inclement meaning a rough storm, and Ireland is kind of going through a stormy weather as well under the rule of Britain.
Jack and O’Connor are joined by Mr. Hynes, another canvass. Jack then lights a few candles to brighten up the room.
The candle lit up the denuded (bare, empty) room, the fire lost all cheerful colour in sense it seems hopeless, the fire could represent nationalism (which would be burning throughout the story) is lighting an empty ambition, the people are unwilling to fight for the country. Just like the people in the Committee room, instead of going out and getting votes, they stay inside and worrying about pay (once again MONEY) and gossiping behind each other’s backs. Throughout the men will be constantly talking about each other and being suspicious if they were British spies.
They talk about having to welcome the King Edward the Seventh which is a monarch of German descent, and will be visiting, and Tierney although a Nationalist will greet him.
Tierney may not be the best nationalist candidate. He never shows up and he’s only talk about, but his name is “Tierney” which sounds a lot like tyranny. His first name is also Richard, which derives from German and English and French (ruler and strong) it might symbolize he’d be more willing to support the British. Not the best to change and help Ireland.
"Our man won't vote for the address," said Mr. O'Connor. "He goes in on the Nationalist ticket."
They say Tierney is a NATIONALIST, it could be referring to “After the Race” where the father was once a Nationalist, and not really devoted to Ireland anymore. (Shoneen)
At one point Jack rakes the coal then, and it probably symbolizes him not wanting to talk of unpleasant things in the past. There is an idiom “rake over the coals” meaning such. (passing of Parnell and Ireland’s bad history and oppression.)
Later they discuss about welcoming Edward again. Parnell lost due to the fact that he divorced his wife and had a long term relationship with another woman. Divorce back then was looked down upon and not accepted ((Catholic) immoral—bad due to religion.). He did divorce and eventually remarried, the divorce eventually led to his downfall. He died soon after. It is funny how Parnell was shamed while King Edward himself had a lot of affairs, but suffered little.
At the very end Mr. Hyne reads recites a piece. It basically talks about how Parnell which is like the Uncrowned King of Ireland, Ireland or “Erin” in this case will mourn with him gone; If he was still here he’d lead Ireland into glory. It mentions near the end about the Phoenix, which mean rebirth/being reborn. So until he is reborn Ireland will not get better. But he’s dead so basically they’re waiting for something that won’t come back.
They all drink from their bottles; the bottle embodies the principles of containing and enclosure. In a sense they are enclose inside Ireland and they are contained and separated from their fellow people, they aren’t acting TOGETHER. People in the committee, supposed to be working together, help Tierney, but instead they spend gossiping about each other. (Not trusting own people, the Irish. Just like the committee members.)
Throughout the story the fire from the hearth remains lit throughout. Fire could mean warmth, pain or death. It could also mean inspiration. The fire could represent Irish Nationalism. Throughout the story the men in the Committee room would interact with the fire. They’d gaze into the fire, sometime approach it and at one point Mr. Henchy went up to the fire “rubbing his hands as if he intended to produce a spark from them.” Maybe it meant he wanted to fuel the fire of Nationalism. He also spits at the fire nearly putting it out, perhaps showing that he doesn’t want to fight for Ireland anymore.
At some point a priest shows up. The priest goes nowhere near the fire. The priest merely enters and leaves. He also mentions he couldn’t see because it was so dark when he was leaving, it was Mr. Henchy that helped light the way with the candle, a small fragment (Nationalism) to light the way. He may have lost his sense of nationalism, without it it’s too dark for him to see and he’s lost. Perhaps it means the loss of devotion since Father Keon, the priest is a religious person, if he seems uncertain about himself (looking like a poor clergyman or actor=mean false/deceit) perhaps he is hiding something. Loss of Devotion in Nationalism. (Unsure of which religion to support, Protestant or Catholic. –Uncertain, doorway in or out.
-Earlier, when Jack mentions the drunk the son, he says how can sons speak in such a rude way to their fathers. It could mean in the loss of faith with the new generation and how they’re not supporting the father anymore, maybe father in a sense that they stopped supporting Parnell, or the old generation.(GAVE UP)
Jack is the one that paid close attention to the fire; he always sat close to it and tended it with coal. Maybe he could have done something to help Ireland, but sadly he’s was a mere caretaker and had little power to change things, while the canvasses in charge of political matters did nothing.
At the end after reciting the poem about how things would have worked if Parnell was not shamed by his people, it shows that their hopes are all on Parnell, but they are waiting for a hope that will never come. They sit there merely talking but never doing. They are stuck, paralyzed in this timeframe.
They’re wearing the Ivy and keep the memory of Parnell. Just remembering , not striving for what he did.
Crofton says it was a fine piece, agreeing that it’s right and good. They don’t really reach and epiphany, they just kind of agree things would have gone well it Parnell was here.
BELOW HIM. Doesn’t want to explain or say anything and simply agrees. Mean he’s willing to go with the flow, he doesn’t want to try. He’s too above, the people who are above aren’t willing to “drop lower” and help out.
Judiciously: evenly
Falsetto: a high=pitched, artificial way of speaking
P.L.G: Welfare officials were given the title of Poor Law Guardians
Solicits: asks, requests
Canvass: examine
Cocks him up: boosts his ego
Impudence: arrogant rudeness
A sup taken: had a drink
Bowsy: a troublemaker, a deceitful person
Denuded: naked; empty
In the lurch: in an embarrassing difficult situation
Tinker: [Irish; Scottish] a gypsy
Publican: a tavern keeper
Shooneens: and Irish man who imitates the English, both in custom and behaviour.
Hunker-sliding: [slang] neglect, disregard, shirking
German Monarch:
Kowtowing: submitting to someone in authority
Spondulics: [slang] money, cash
Rake: a person who acts without self-control or restraint
Publican
Chiefly British . a person who owns or manages a tavern; thekeeper of a pub.
2.
Roman History . a person who collected public taxes.
3.
any collector of taxes, tolls, tribute, or the like.
The Boarding House
The Boarding House
-“The Madame”- more than just a boarding house
-Polly: perverse Madam, sinful Mary?
Green= Ireland in her eyes
Basically the story revolves around Mrs. Mooney, Polly and Mr. Doran. Mr. Doran is forced into marriage because he has a relationship with Polly. He is at the mercy of social opinion, he is afraid if he does not marry Polly he will lose his job. He is religious as well (his job as well is for the church). Mrs. Mooney knows he cannot refuse the marriage; he is weak and cares too much about public opinion so she easily manipulates him. Polly is just a manipulative, she seduces his and she clearly knows she has won. Around the end she dreams about the future with Mr. Doran and she does not seem very worried, meaning she knows she is going to get what she wants (marriage). It’s about money and security, not love.
OTHER:
-The are clues throughout the story that Polly might be pregnant, hence the need of marriage
-Mr. Doran is controlled by fear. Before he meets Mrs. Mooney he sees Jack, Polly’s brother, which is a great fighter, big and scary. Mr. Doran knows if he refuses the marriage he’ll get beat up by her brother.
-The story switches points of views throughout
“Three days' reddish beard fringed his jaws and every two or three minutes a mist gathered on his glasses so that he had to take them off and polish them with his pocket-handkerchief. “
-could symbolise blindness, nervousness, fear that paralyzes him.
-The gilt clock symbolizes: time, money and the church
-Mrs. Mooney is paralyzed due to her husband’s abusive behaviour, Mr. Doran is paralyzed due to the fact he’s stuck in an unwanted marriage.
Cat Scratch Notes:
Two Gallants
Two Gallants
-Irony because the two characters are far from gallant
-Lenehan is more reflective while Corley is not
àL wants money but also stability
-2 friends represent Ireland—they so not trust each other, just like how the Irish are against each other instead of the oppressor, Britain.
Harp= national symbol of Ireland (pg 57)—harpist
“Not far from the porch of the club a harpist stood in the roadway, playing to a little ring of listeners. He plucked at the wires heedlessly, glancing quickly from time to time at the face of each new-comer and from time to time, wearily also, at the sky. His harp, too, heedless that her coverings had fallen about her knees, seemed weary alike of the eyes of strangers and of her master's hands. One hand played in the bass the melody of Silent, O Moyle, while the other hand careered in the treble after each group of notes. The notes of the air sounded deep and full.”
Silent O Moyle is an Irish song of patriotism. (The plucking of the harp could be interpreted as a rape scene.)
Gold coin= greed/the ultimate prize
Cat Scratch Notes:
After the Race
After the Race
-The story mainly about money and power
“…careering homeward and through this channel of poverty and inaction the…”
=through the poor people they drove
-poverty= Irish spectators
Meaning the track is put through the “poor people”. Anything bad is put in Ireland and not Britain. (the noisy race track is set in Ireland)
-Doyle’s father (MC’s father) is a former Nationalist
-Routh (The Englishman) –wins the game, like how Britain wins
(page 50) “Jimmy took his part with a will; this was seeing life, at least.”
If he sees life in the party on the yacht and these rich people (while his people are oppressed), he is living a fake and hollow life.
-Also it is clear he has class aspirations
In the end the MC does not reach an epiphany. He lost all his money and knows he’s a fool, but he doesn’t care and knows his father will clean up for him. However the reader reaches an epiphany.
POLITICAL:
French and Ireland are somewhat “friends”. Since they are both typically rivals of the English.
Cat Scratch Notes:
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The Sisters (The Dubliners)
The Sisters
Questions to ask: Why is it called “The Sisters”? The boy does not meet the two sisters until later in the story.
He had often said to me: “I am not long for this world,” and I had thought his words idle.
Idle words= empty words
-it shows how the boy does not believe everything the priest says
-questioning/self-awareness
Terms:
Simony: using faith to make money
Gnomon: absence of something
The whole story resembles a gnomon. Like the incomplete shape, we still can make the connection that it is in fact a parallelogram. Throughout the story there are many things left unsaid but we can probably guess what happened. (eg. The weird relationship with the boy, the priest going nuts)
-Joyce purposely leaves things out (incomplete dialogue for example- words left unsaid)
-The absence is important
-Older Cotter is portrayed as unsympathetic but his words may be the harsh truth.
-It is not seen through an eight-year olds’ eyes, but rather an adult remembering. He is no longer innocent
-There is a lot of shifting between the 8 year old perspective and the adult’s
Was there something between the priest and the boy?
-The boy feels freedom at the priest’s death
-Perhaps the reason why the boy was angry at Old Cotter for speaking badly about the priest is because he is supressing the bad things he have experienced (past victim). With Old Cotter mentioning the things he tried to forget, he would naturally get defensive and angry.
Pg. 9 = In the dream, the priest is confessing to the boy
-perhaps the priest has done something wrong (reversal of roles, instead of the priest hearing the confession, the boy does)
-not quite a saint
-contrast of the advertisement of death to the sunny part of street with theatrical advertisements. (Hollow, acting, not realà like the priest)
-Empty chalice=empty shell
-Cup=love àempty
-Breaks chalice= broke the promise with God?
Eucharist= cracker and sherry
-Refuses cracker= refusing the teachings of Communion?
-Empty Fireplace= loss of life/spirit (dead in a spiritual sense- gateway to hell)
-The sisters are uneducated yet they speak “shrewdly”
“We crossed ourselves and came away.”
=crossed= purposes or sacrifice
-they cannot question faith, they try to find blame in something else – accountability of the church (did not believe the bad things the church/priests did)
“But still…They say it was the boy's fault.”
-It was the boy’s fault/ Perhaps it was the boy that “tempted” him resulting in the breaking of the chalice.
“His face was very truculent”
-Truculent= defiantàbut he’s dead.
Epiphany:
-Boy realizes the priest is not that much of a saint, in seeing that he sees that the priest is mere a person of shortcoming which sets him (the boy) free.
MY ORIGINAL CAT SCRATCH NOTES:
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