Counterparts by James Joyce

In Counterparts by James Joyce we have the theme of resentment, failure, powerlessness and paralysis. Taken from his Dubliners collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and some readers will recognise that Joyce, through the use of the title of the story, is suggesting to the reader the idea of repetition. The term counterparts refers to the copy or duplication of a legal document. This is significant, the idea of repetition, as throughout the story the reader realises that the main character, Farrington, is in fact repeating the same tasks (both professionally and personally). It is through this repetition that the reader also realises that Joyce is placing emphasis on one of the main themes of the story, the theme of paralysis. It is through repetition, that Farrington in essence is going nowhere and remains doing the same things, daily.

There are several instances in the story which suggest to the reader the idea of repetition, which in turn suggest paralysis. First there is the obvious writings by Farrington while he is in work. He is working on a legal document, struggling to get it finished and having to rewrite the document because he is concentrating on trying to acquire enough money to go drinking. He is not focused on the task at hand, that being, doing his job correctly. Also there is a sense that Farrington spends a lot of time, every day in public houses. Again this suggests repetition, doing the same thing over and over. Joyce also uses symbolism to suggest the idea of repetition. The word ‘round’ is used when Farrington and his friends are buying each other a drink. Again this is important as ‘round’ suggests a circular motion or the idea of ending up in the same place, which again suggests a paralysis. Likewise when Farrington tells his friends about his incident with Mr Alleyne, Higgins comes into the bar and also repeats the story.

The idea or theme of failure is also explored several times in the story. First there is the fact that Farrington never manages to complete the document he is working on. Due to his inability to concentrate on his work, he fails to complete the task. Also, in the bar, Farrington is beaten in an arm wrestle by Weathers. Again this suggests a sense of failure. This failure is also significant as it through his losing to Weathers that Farrington begins to develop resentment towards Weathers. He perceives Weathers to be no more than a mere boy. Probably the most obvious failure for Farrington is the fact that he doesn’t manage to get drunk. Despite pawning his watch, he has spent all the money without actually succeeding in what he wanted to do, which was to get drunk.

The sense of failure or lack of triumph is also noticeable when Mr Alleyne tells Farrington to apologise to him. Farrington is again defeated and he is forced, in order to keep his job, to apologise to Mr Alleyne. It is also through Farrington’s confrontation with Mr Alleyne that the reader suspects that Farrington is powerless. He knows that he shouldn’t have challenged Mr Alleyne, though felt unable not to do so. The idea of powerlessness is also noticeable by the fact that Farrington appears to need a drink. If anything alcohol has control over him, rather than Farrington being able to control his alcohol intake. There is a very strong possibility that Farrington is an alcoholic.

It is also interesting that Joyce refers to Farrington by name and as ‘the man’. This may be Joyce suggesting the fact that Farrington is similar to other people. How he reacts in the story, is the same as how others react. Joyce could be suggesting that there is no difference between Farrington and other men in Dublin. They too may have a drinking problem and they may also be stuck in a circle or similarly paralysed.

As with a lot of stories in Dubliners, Joyce also appears to be attacking the Catholic Church. This is most notable at the end of the story when Farrington is beating his son. Tom tells his father that if he stops beating him, he will say a prayer for him (Hail Mary). This may be significant as Joyce could be suggesting the reliance people had on the Catholic Church at the time Dubliners was written. It is also significant that Farrrington’s wife, Ada, is at the chapel when Farrington arrives home. Again Joyce may be suggesting the heavy reliance of Irish people on the Catholic Church. It is also possible that Joyce at the end of the story is suggesting that a continued reliance on the Church and its practices will not save or protect a person. As can be seen by Tom getting beat by Farrington. There is also a sense that how Farrington treats his family at the end of the story, is how he treats them daily, again the idea of repetition.

See Also:

• After the Race by James Joyce
• Two Gallants by James Joyce
• Clay by James Joyce
• Ivy Day in the Committee Room by James Joyce