Clay by James Joyce

In Clay by James Joyce we have the theme of poverty, conflict, disconnection, escape and paralysis. Taken from his Dubliners collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Joyce, by giving the reader a description of Maria’s daily tasks, may be exploring the theme of paralysis. Maria has a job to do in the laundry, a responsibility which she performs daily. There is no change in her routine and similar to the character Farrington in Counterparts it is Maria’s routine or repetition of her duties, which suggests the idea of paralysis for Maria. In essence nothing changes (at least in her daily tasks) for Maria. Joyce also appears to be exploring the theme of poverty in the story. Maria is fully aware of how much money she has and how much money she will have left by the time she travels to Joe’s house. It is also evident later in the story that Maria is upset about the loss of the plum cake. She is acutely aware of how much it cost her, again this suggests that Maria is conscious of how much money she has. It is also important to remember that Maria would have earned very little money from working in the laundry. It is also interesting that Maria considers herself to be an independent woman. This may not be the reality considering her financial circumstances.

There is a sense of emptiness in Maria’s life which is also particularly noticeable. She focuses on others, rather than on herself and she seems to escape from her own emptiness by focusing on others. She is well liked by the other girls in the laundry and the matron has even told her that she is a ‘veritable peace-maker.’ This is significant as it suggests that Maria is involved with helping others, rather than on developing herself. Maria’s involvement in other people’s lives is also noticeable when the reader discovers that she is unhappy that Joe and Alphy have fallen out. It is while she is at Joe’s house that she attempts to suggest to Joe that he should reconcile with his brother. However she is not successful and lets the matter go. Some critics may suggest that Maria, focuses on others, to make up for the shortcomings in her own life. She is a middle aged woman, who has no family of her own. and the nearest she would have to family, is Joe and Alphy. Maria also lives an uneventful life, doing the same things every day in the laundry.

There are several instances in the story which suggest conflict, notably external conflict. There is the fact that Maria is known to be a peace maker in the laundry, resolving disputes between the other girls. Also Joe and Alphy’s dispute, though the reader is never told as to the cause of their dispute, Maria attempts to resolve it. As for internal conflict (within Maria), there is very little in her life which suggests any conflict. However the smallest of things can upset her. The incident of losing the plum cake on the tram results in Maria nearly crying. This fragility over something minor is important as it suggests that Maria is in some ways disconnected or closed off from the real world. Everything is a routine for her. From the tasks she performs in work, to the planning of her trip to Joe’s house. Any deviation from this routine will cause upset for Maria.

There is also symbolism in the story to suggest Maria’s disconnection from the real world. She works and lives in the laundry, which was set up to provide relief and housing to women who had incurred difficulty in their lives. People living in the laundry would have been closed off from the real world. Also Maria is unaware that while she is deciding which cake to buy in the shop, the woman behind the counter is being sarcastic. This also suggests a disconnection from the realities of the world. The idea or disconnection from the real world is also further explored near the end of the story when Mrs Donnelly tells Maria that she will enter a convent by the end of the year. Again Joyce may be suggesting that life in a convent (or in any religious order) may be an escape from the realities of the world.

The divination game that Maria plays in the story is also important. Some critics suggest that Maria’s picking of the clay is symbolism for her pending death, while other critics suggest that it may be symbolism for her continued stunted development or paralysis. It is also significant that Maria was blindfolded. Again this may be symbolism for Maria’s inability to see where her life is going and Joyce may be suggesting a continued paralysis for Maria.

The ending of the story is also interesting. Maria sings the first verse of the song twice, without realising her error. It may be significant that no one tells Maria that she has made a mistake. This in turn may suggest that Maria is to continue living her life as she has, doing the same things and living the same way. In essence paralysed and escaping from the realities of the world. It may also be significant that the song Maria sings at the end of the story, is a song about a woman going from rags to riches. Joyce may be using irony to symbolise that nothing will change for Maria.

See Also:

• Counterparts by James Joyce
• After the Race by James Joyce
• A Little Cloud by James Joyce
• Two Gallants by James Joyce