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Maureen has been busy these days, and as it was not really clear who was to do this week's story, I thought that I will start the discussion anyway. Hope it will catch on and lead to some discussion. The story, "After the Race" has quite a few similarities to the succeeding story "Two Gallants". Both deal with adolescence. Unlike "Two Gallants", this story has no female characters. It is a story of five young men. Their ambitions, their behaviour, are what are important. Girls enter the picture later, if at all, but not at the time which is the subject of the story. My first impression was that it is a straight forward story, and not as symbolic as the first few stories - Araby, The Sisters, etc - which we read last month. Four young people return to Dublin. They have just taken part in a car race, and have won the second place too. The group is made up of a Frenchman, a French-Canadian, a Hungarian and Doyle, a Dubliner. Through Doyle, Joyce shows the ambitions and aspirations of middle class Dublin. His fther was a butcher, but had been "fortunate enough to secure some police contracts" and had become rich enough to be referred to as the "merchant prince". The father has plans for his son, Doyle. Doyle is first sent to England to study and later sis sent to the Dublin University. Doyle is a typical rich son. Studies do not interest him. What interests him are music and motoring. That is how he gets to know the racing team, and is now elated to be entering Dublin in their company. That evening's dinner is a matter that causes great excitement in the family of Doyle as it shows that the son has arrived! Joyce beautifully describes the atmosphere in the sentence "That night the city wore the mask of a capital." The company of the young men is heady. They talk loudly and gaily. And when they stroll along "Stephen's Green", people on the road make way for them. I think Joyce is saying here how everybody worships money and youth. The party ends up in game where money is staked. Doyle loses. But who cares on such a night? "He knew that he would regret in the morning but at present he was glad of the rest, glad of the dark stupor that would cover up his folly." The story ends up with the hungarian announcing, "Daybreak, gentlemen!" as if he wants to say that it is time to wake up and face the realities of a normal day. As I said earlier, this story is easy to read. Perhaps because of that reason it did not touch me as much as the other stories did. And where is the Joyce who is so complicated to read? Have I missed something? Have I so got used to Joyce?! I have decided not to read the notes provided for this story in my Penguin edition, as I want to be free when I discuss the story with you all. Looking forward to your comments, Chandra |
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