A Little Cloud Essay Example

the prosperous and lively Gallaher into the narrative, Joyce establishes a clear dichotomy between the two worlds they represent.

The dissolution of Ireland's political hub following the Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1800 left Dublin in a state of ambiguity, struggling to establish a definitive objective and grappling with an uncertain sense of self. This theme pervades throughout Dubliners, as characters such as Farrington and Little Chandler find themselves constrained by the restricted nature of life in Dublin. There is a prevailing sentiment that pursuing a glamorous lifestyle, exemplified by Ignatius Gallaher, necessitates departing from Ireland. For Little Chandler, London represents the key to achieving his aspirations; he asserts that "if you wanted to succeed you had to go away."

Little Chandler's attitude towards social class is evident in his experiences in Dublin. He passes through the slums of North Dublin en route to meet his sophisticated friend, Gallaher, and encounters a group of children. These children are labeled as "a horde", "grimy", and filling the streets. They're portrayed as vermin that "crawled" and "squatted like mice". Essentially, there is little to nothing to do in Dublin.

Little Chandler, similar to Duffy in 'A Painful Case', feels superior to the people he passes by and above the parochial and narrow interests of Dublin. He longs to be a poet that is adored by more wealthy English individuals. Chandler is shallow and preoccupied with material things, fixated on appearances and social status. He eagerly anticipates attending Corless's because he recognizes the value of the name, and the finely dressed ladies catch his attention. Gallaher mentions that if he ever plans to get married,

his spouse must possess a considerable amount in the bank; otherwise, she is not an ideal candidate. If he does marry, he intends to play his cards appropriately and pursue one of the many rich Germans or Jews available.

Throughout the maturity stories in Dubliners, the characters are resigned to their situation and often display resentment. Little Chandler's anger in "A Little Cloud" is conveyed through adjectives such as "trembled", "burst", "convulsively" and "a paroxysm of sobbing". Later, his shame "suffuses" his cheeks and turns into "tears of remorse". He feels not only failure in fulfilling his dreams, but also resentment towards his family for limiting his freedom. In "Counterparts", Farrington's anger is established through the ringing of a bell, a heavy step, and spasms of rage. Additionally, the sacrament of marriage is dismissed as mere "business" that can become stale, highlighting the immorality of London.

In his work, Joyce utilizes various symbols to portray entrapment and hope, one of which is the 'little cloud' representing unhappiness that hinders Little Chandler from becoming the fun-loving bachelor he idolizes like Gallaher. Additionally, Joyce incorporates the concept of exoticism and wealth into his narrative by using the imagery of the 'dark Oriental eyes' of Rich Jewesses. Similarly, alcoholism is depicted as a means of 'escape' from the stifling lives of the Dubliners, particularly in 'A Little Cloud', where Gallaher regards sobriety as a reason for Chandler's dreary and 'inartistic' life. Gallaher prefers to drink his whisky neat while criticizing Chandler for not knowing what's good for him due to his limited drinking habits.

Ireland is often belittled by the English and seen as an amusing oddity. In a conversation with

Gallaher, he notes that the English "have a great feeling for Ireland" but this sentiment is contradicted when they express readiness to consume him because he is Irish. Little Chandler, who desires to publish a book in London, wishes for a more Irish-sounding name to appeal to the English audience. This desire is ironic as he dreams of leaving Ireland while still feeling tied to his heritage. The story is symbolic of Ireland's historical position; while the rest of Europe fails to show respect towards Ireland, represented by Gallaher's repeated rejections of Little Chandler's invitations, the country remains dependent on its heritage.

Gallaher's arrival triggers an epiphany in Little Chandler, a common theme in Joyce's stories where characters experience an anti-climactic realization that their escape from their life is flawed. In the "maturity" series, the characters' inability to escape their lives is caused by their own personal flaws. In "A Little Cloud," Gallaher's visit incites feelings of "dull resentment" in Little Chandler who feels oppressed by the unfairness of his life compared to Gallaher's. Little Chandler thinks he can only escape his situation by publishing a book in London, but he cannot complete it due to the constant noise of his wailing child.

Little Chandler transfers his dissatisfaction with his own lack of success in comparison to Gallaher onto his spouse, finding her dull and lacking passion in her eyes. He daydreams of the Jewesses with dark Oriental eyes that Gallaher had mentioned earlier at Corless's. Little Chandler becomes slightly disillusioned and dislikes Gallaher's accent, which he previously enjoyed. London, once represented by Gallaher, is now viewed as garish and tacky, overshadowing Little Chandler's original charm and

upsetting his sensitive nature's balance from his vagrant and successful life. Little Chandler perceives Gallaher's supposed friendliness to be patronizing, much like his visit to Ireland. He has been too consumed by his own anger and resentment towards his entrapment and dreams' failure to perceive through Gallaher's version of a thriving, exotic life.

Both 'A Painful Case' and 'A Little Cloud' are examples of James Joyce's mature writing, as they express a common theme of characters realizing the futility of their attempts to escape their stagnant lives. In 'A Painful Case', Duffy is disillusioned with his attempts to escape Dublin when Mrs Sinico passionately holds his hand. Likewise, in 'A Little Cloud', Little Chandler questions if it's too late for him to go to London and feels resentment after meeting a conceited friend who reminds him of his unfulfilled aspirations. Both characters lacked conviction and blamed others for their missed opportunities to escape. The characters Joyce portrays are dissatisfied with what they have and instead mourn what they lack. Both the characters and the city of Dublin are resistant to change, resulting in embitterment towards the injustice of their stagnant existences.

Both Duffy and Little Chandler come to a realization about their respective situations. Duffy only truly understands that he will never have the opportunity for love or marriage after the death of Mrs Sinico. These opportunities could have enabled him to escape the monotony of the city that he cannot leave. Similarly, in 'A Little Cloud', Little Chandler ignores his family until he experiences a personal epiphany and realizes that he has failed them. He is overwhelmed with shame and tears of remorse for both

his egocentric behavior and his failed attempts at escape.