|
|
|
|
|
I had promised myself that I will finish all the "must-be-done" work and reread the postings on "A Little Cloud" and "Clay", and then get back to you people. To start with I reread the msg below: Maureen, about your associating the biblical (was he historical too?) doubting Thomas with our little Tommy: The bib. Thomas was acting rationally when he doubted the resurrection of Jesus. He was not looking down on his own people. Tommy of this story is not like that Thomas. Tommy does not like the Dublin - poor. To him they are vermin like, and so you avoid any contact with them. They were the untouchables of his caste system. He is happy to be different from this vermin, he is proud to be. Before Ignatius went off to London, Tommy used to look down on him too, as he was "inferior in birth and education". In other words, Tommy is the kind of a guy who will never and go work in the slums. He would rather close his eyes and walk through the mass, keeping his distance. Where as doubting Thomas was honest and sincere in doubting - because who had ever heard of dead people waking up - and stood up to his convictions, Tommy comes across as a spineless character. He has ambitions, dreams, but lacks the ability to fulfill those dreams. It is the same really at the end too when he cannot manage the child and cannot explain to his wife what had happened. Just two years after the marriage there is little left in his marriage. He is an outsider as far as his wife and child are concerned. I don't like this character, though I like the characterisation and the story lots. But having said that I thank you for explaining the sentence "no memory of the past touched him, for his mind was full of a present joy." and for explaining the significance of the colour orange. That kind of connection to the historical background is very interesting and illuminating. Chandra
yes, i think you are right, chandra -- any connection to the biblical and mythical doubting thomas is dubious at best -- i was just sharing the info, in part because i was considering the connection, and in another part, because i like to throw stuff out there for others to consider as well... sometimes we get surprised when we throw something out there for people and someone catches it and makes something out of it, or sees a clear correlation. but yea i think it is not a real strong connection at all, if at all... there are many tommy's in ireland, in fact i wrote a play last summer set in 1850's ireland (the famine) and my main character was named tommy, and he was of course a 'strapping irish buck' who was also beautifully handsome, to put it *mildly*!! ;-)) however... a clarification on your understanding of doubting thomas -- to *catholics*, and this is not necessarily accurate at all, he was not being smart or level headed in saying to (i think it was peter?), 'until i feel the wounds with my own hands i won't believe it', he was being shamefully faithless, since jesus had predicted his rising from the dead, and the apostles were all supposed to 'believe'. during his doubting period he, to catholics, is a bad example, someone we are not supposed to like, and after he sees jesus and receives his *proof* (which he was not supposed to need if he had true faith, right?) then he feels all shamed and embarrassed and bad and all 'dat, and then goes on a mission to spread the word of jesus and so on... for a moment i had thought that joyce was painting thomas chandler as in some way a trader, like doubting thomas was thought of during his doubting period... but that doesn't really wash... :)) i am going to think about the elijah question... he is old testament, from the torah, and is the invisible guest who comes in thru the door and sits at the table during the jewish passover meal, the sedar. but i have to think on this other connection that had been made to him... he was the one who said, why is this day different from any other day? the famous question, and of course, it is different for jews because on passover the exodus, lead by moses, is celebrated... Maureen |
|
|
|
|
|