The Influence Of Father-Child Relationship In James Joyce's Dubliners

In the short stories of Dubliners by James Joyce, there is a theme of father-child relationship. These relationships vary in some aspects but relate in the aspect of drinking. As Joyce carries on from story to story some of the fathers are portrayed as abusive, alcoholics and one of them has divorced his wife. As we continue to learn about these families and the father-child relationship, we are able to see the effects it has on the children. To being, the first family is in the short story of Eveline. She lives with her father who she tells us was abusive to her mother who has passed away. Along with being abusive to her mother, her father was also abusive to her brothers. Since Eveline was the only girl she had to take care of her brothers although one had died and the other was young, she was still fear full of her father. Moreover, she knew if her father found out about her plan to leave with a sailor he would try and stop her. Once her father did find out, he told …show more content…
The father was a butcher and his wife knew her marriage would be difficult since her own father was a butcher. The wife had to deal with a father who had done the same things her husband was doing to her and her children. Mr. Mooney was also a drunk, he stole money, bought bad meat, and even fought with his wife in public. After finally divorcing her husband the children had a relationship with their father but Joyce never gives us any information. This allows us to conclude that he was not present in their daily life. Since their father was not there for them, we can only assume these children and in specific his daughter Polly has been effected. She is portrayed as a 19 year old girl who lives with her brother and mother long with many other men. Because her father is not in the home, this girl has more freedom as her other doesn’t care and she starts to mess around with the