In the first story in “Dubliners” by James Joyce, introduces many of the themes that will
recur throughout books in James Joyce’s life. Linking its parts together into something that is not quite a novel but
more than a simple collection of short stories. James Joyce achieves the creation of themes such as Paralysis, corruption
and death though the use of symbolism and imagery.
The first theme is paralysis. James Joyce believed that humanity and civilization, as well as
wealth, had been stopped for centuries by two things. The first was the Roman Catholic Church, who’s teachings made
most Dubliners of Joyce’s day hold on to dearly. The second was England, which had taken over Ireland in the 1800s and
opposed surrendering the country its independence. In the first line of “Sisters,” Father Flynn suffered a fatal
stroke, a problem of blood vessels in the brain that cause paralysis, if not death. Actually, it may have been a stroke that
caused dropping of the award revealed near the end of the story. Also, the gray face in the boy’s dream that “had
died of paralysis” is that of Father Flynn himself. Clearly Father Flynn represents the paralyzed Catholic Church in
this story, and it’s ability to paralyze others. The time spent with the priest prevents the boy from having fun with
his friends. Furthermore, Father Flynn lives on Great Britain Street and dies on the anniversary of England’s victory
over Ireland.
The second theme that Joyce introduces is corruption. In the second
paragraph of this story, the narrator mentions the word simony, which means the selling of blessings, pardons, or other
things the Roman Catholic Church does to its members. Later, Father Flynn will be referred to as a simoniac, which
would then mean guilty of this offense. In Father Flynn’s inability to progress due to his corruption in the way of
sins, of a guilty nature then it is evident that corruption is linked to the theme of paralysis. James Joyce brings forth
the idea that because corruption prevents progress, it is almost identical to the theme of paralysis.The third theme is death, whether that
death is physical or purely spiritual, Joyce’s attitude toward death is very difficult to comprehend. In “The
Sisters,” physical death is not thought to be bad, because it frees Father Flynn from what seems to be a horrible life.
The last image of the priest shows him “sitting in the dark in his confession box, wide-awake and laughing-like softly
to himself,” as if he knew things would be better. Father Flynn looks as if he has been suffering a spiritual death
way before he actually passed away. The priest’s death releases the boy
also from the paralysis and corruption of the world and also from death, the death that Joyce thought would come to him if
he remained connected with the Church. The narrator says “I found it strange,” “that neither I nor the day
seemed in a mourning mood and I felt even annoyed at discovering in myself a sensation of freedom as if I had been freed from
something by his death.”
Thus, “Dubliners” by James Joyce not only begins with a death,
reinforcing the negative themes paralysis, corruption, and death. Through the use of imagery and symbolism every one of these
themes are presented. An example is Father Flynn’s “big discolored teeth” mostly yellow and brown. Yellow
and brown are two colors used repeatedly by James Joyce to symbolize the decay and paralysis throughout the work of James
Joyce.