A LITTLE
CLOUD
From The Dubliners
by James Joyce
Chandler’s
avenue of escape are limited to his sircumstances, however this does not stop
him from daydreaming about being a successfully published poet. It is while he
is walking through Dublin, on his way to meet Gallaher that the reader realizes
the depth of this daydreaming or desire to escape. Chandler has half an idea
about a poem and later he thinks that maybe he should change his name to
something more Irish looking. Both these incidents are significant because they
highlight to the reader the difference between fantasy and reality. For someone
who wishes to become a poet, at no stage of the story is the reader given any
insight into anything that Chandler may have written. The only creativity that
Chandler appears to have is when he creates sentences for the notices his
collection of poems (which are unwritten) might receive. In essence Chandler
has ideas but has not put in the necessary work to convert these ideas to a
reality. As for his name change, again this is an idea, which involves very
little actual work and may suggest that Chandler maybe seeking to popularize
himself. Changing his name is also significant for another reason.It suggest an
escape from self, of who Chandler really is – a married man with a young child
and not the poet he dreams of being. In essence Chandler is imagining fame,
again without putting in the work.
The meeting in
Corless’s with Gallaher is also significant as it is here the reader realizes
that Chandler resents Gallaher’s success. If anything he considers himself to
be a better man than Gallaher and he believes it should be him who has had the
success and not Gallaher. If anything Chandler feels cheated. Corless’s is also
significant for another reason. Chandler has never been in the club before but
has heard many things about it, all which has impressed him. Corless’s was most
likely an Anglo Irish establishment that catered for the upper classes of
Dublin, people who would have not
normally been in Chandler’s company. Corless’s also appears to be in contrast
to the reality of life in Dublin and the poverty which is noticeable in the
story. It is also significant that Chandler ignores this poverty. If anything
he disassosiates himself from those who are less fortunate than him. While
remaining impressed by those who maybe better than him (or perceive to be
better).
Another
incident in the story which is important is when Chandler asks Gallaher, is
Paris as immoral as he has heard. This is significant because it is through
another person’s experience (Gallaher’s) and not his own, that Chandler is
seeking to learn. He has never gone further than the Isle of Man and Joyce maybe
emphasizing this lack of travel or world knowledge within Chandler to suggest
that he may have had an unadventurous life. It also Possible that Joyce is
suggesting that to grow or develop as a person, someone has to not only leave
Dublin but Ireland too and live the experiences for themselves.
The idea of
resentment is again further and explored after Chandler has gone home and is
sitting in his front room minding his son. He looks at a picture of Annie and
he begins to attribute his lack of success to the fact he is married. Chandler
feels that if it was not for Annie and the baby, he too culd have made it in
London, just like Gallaher has. It is also possible that Joyce is suggesting
that marriage brings paralysis to a person, something that is explored further
in the Boarding House, another story in Dubliners.
It is also at
the end of the story that joyce explores the theme of responsibility. After
Chandler has shouted at his son, Annie comes into the house and takes the child
from him. It is only after this incident, when Chandler steps back and feels
remorseful, that the reader suspects that Chandler may be finally taking
responsibility. It is quite possible that Chandler realizes that the most
important thing in life is not for him to escape to London and become a poet
but rather to remain in Dublin, as a father to his young son.
