An Encounter Essay Example

"totties" with the narrator. The gentleman shared his open-minded belief that each boy has a sweetheart. Although he didn't entirely comprehend it himself, the elderly man spoke about young ladies, perhaps including sexual insinuations due to the boys' youthfulness. Lastly, he arose from his seat and strolled towards the edge of the field.

Upon arrival, the man's actions caught Mahony's attention prompting him to exclaim "I say! Look what he is doing" followed by "I say... He's a queer old josser." These remarks suggest that the man may have been masturbating in close proximity to them, while they were two little boys.

Shortly after, the old man returns and resumes his monologue but with a different tone. He expresses sadistic desires to whip school boys, especially those who lied about their love interests. He threatens to give them a severe whipping. The narrator is troubled by the old man's stories and behavior and leaves with Mahony to join him in the field. This experience triggers an epiphany for the boys as they witness the old man masturbating a few meters away. Although they may not fully comprehend the act, it is a sudden realization of something strange and unusual. It alters their perception of the man, and they feel worried and confused, prompting one of them to run away.

There are three instances of epiphany in the story. The first is related to the old man's behavior, leading to a strange awakening in the speaker's mind. The second is when the old man returns, and his speech and opinions have changed so drastically. This reminds us of the definition of epiphany as a "sudden spiritual manifestation in

the vulgarity of speech and gesture". The third and final epiphany occurs as the boys prepare to leave, realizing that they have met a sexually sick man instead of having an exciting day in Dublin. Joyce also employs epiphanies in "After the Race", a story about adolescence and a particular evening in paralyzed Dublin.

Upon their return to Dublin, a group consisting of a French man, a French-Canadian, a Hungarian, and a Dubliner named Doyle triumphantly secured second place in a car race. Joyce uses Doyle's character to explore the middle class aspirations in Dublin.

Doyle's father was a butcher but through securing police contracts became wealthy and earned the title of "merchant prince." He had aspirations for his son and sent him to Cambridge where Doyle first experienced the upper-class lifestyle. However, studies did not captivate Doyle's interest and he returned to Dublin where he indulged in his love for music and motoring. Through his passion for motoring, he became acquainted with a racing team member and felt elated to enter Dublin with them. The family was greatly excited about the evening's dinner as it showed that their son had arrived in the world of jet-set and international playboys.

Despite Dublin's seeming metropolis status, Joyce acknowledges that it was not truly one, as he writes in his work: "That night the city wore the mask of a capital". The presence of young men is intoxicating as they are boisterous and lively. As they saunter through "Stephen's Green", pedestrians make way for them. This highlights Joyce's suggestion that Dublin was fixated on the allure of wealth and internationality - a subtle nod to the stagnancy he perceived

in the city during that time. Eventually, the group reaches a yacht, where they continue to revel in their own company happily.

Joyce's story features a party with high stakes gaming, in which Doyle loses a great deal of money. Despite this, he remains unconcerned on such an occasion. The Hungarian character realizes he does not belong and leaves the game saying "Daybreak, gentlemen!". Joyce uses the epiphany at the end to remind readers through the Hungarian that it is time to face reality and wake up from their illusions. This helps Doyle understand that his experience was just an illusion, as he cannot keep up with these international jet-setters and is simply a Dubliner. Joyce effectively employs the use of epiphany by keeping it until the climax of the story when Doyle is suddenly brought back to reality after being lost in his dream world for some time.

While both "An Encounter" and "After the Race" by Joyce feature memorable epiphanies, their usage differs greatly. In "An Encounter", three instances of epiphanies are employed to provide different perspectives for the boys and old man. On the other hand, in "After the Race," there is only one sharp and abrupt epiphany at the end. Nevertheless, Joyce's characters experience these sudden spiritual manifestations in both stories.