A Little Cloud by James Joyce
In A Little Cloud by James Joyce we have the theme of discontent, frustration, responsibility, resentment, escape and paralysis. Taken from his Dubliners collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and very early on in the story the reader gets an idea of exactly how discontent the main character Little Chandler really is. Joyce tells the reader that Chandler on many occasions would turn ‘often from his tiresome writing to gaze out of the office window.’ This early insight into Chandler’s discontent or escape from reality (his job) is significant as it acts as a type of foreshadowing to later incidents in the story when the reader discovers just how discontent or frustrated Chandler actually is. Chandler feels (later in the story) that to succeed in life he must change his life. That change includes not only leaving Dublin but leaving his wife Annie and his young son too.
Chandler’s avenues of escape are limited due to his circumstances, 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 realises 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 may be seeking to popularize himself. Changing his name is also significant for another reason. It suggests 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 that the reader realises 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 have 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 realities 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 disassociates himself from those who are less fortunate than him. While remaining impressed by those who may be better than him (or perceived 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 may be emphasizing this lack of travel or world knowledge within Chandler to suggest that he may have had an unadventurous life. It is 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 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 wasn’t for Annie and the baby, he too could 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 realises 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.
What do you think Gallaher? During my first reading I found him to purposefully belittling and somewhat as provincial as Chandler given his boorishness.
I think that both characters are self-centered and selfish.