A Review of ‘The Sisters’ by James Joyce
‘The Sisters’ is a short story from a collection known as ‘Dubliners.’ It is written by James, who is famous because of his writing technique. It happens in Ireland in a place known as Dublin in the 20th century. The year is 1895, and the narrator, who is a young boy, attends dinner only to learn of the demise of Father Flynn (Joyce et al. 1993). The message is passed by their family friend, Mr. Cotter, who is also against the friendship that the narrator had with the priest. The story gives some hints of abuse of the boy by the priest. The idea of the narrator isolating himself and leaving the readers to judge for themselves is a genius technique. The death of the priest is ironic, and so are the events that led to his paralysis like the breaking of the chalice. Life is essential, and even though the death of Father Lynn was painful for the narrator, it saved the priest his physical and emotional suffering.
Among the movements seen in the story are enlightenment and modernisms for which the writer is well known. It is clear from the use of ellipses, insinuations, and innuendos, among others. Although the story is titled “The Sisters,” it is noted that the sisters are not the main focus of the narration, which is odd. There are many things that Joyce has left for the readers to analyze. He gives his readers some space to think and join the dots for themselves. Among the easy rich themes that I can point out in the reading are paralysis, sin, child abuse, and descent in grace. The plot of this story is easy to understand and summarize. The story, which is among my best in the collection, sheds some light on other writings by James. Ireland values Catholicism. Joyce is trying to bring out the paralysis of the country.
Along with the other stories in the collection, this aims at awakening the country from its sleep and welcome it to the modern age. The use of ellipse leaves the reader thinking of the unsaid things in the story. Therefore, the work is basically about negativity, the words not known, and those that go unsaid.
Work Cited
Joyce, James, John Wyse Jackson, and Bernard McGinley. James Joyce’s Dubliners. Macmillan, 1993.