Characters
How is Mr. Alleyne described?
A little man with gold-rimmed glasses, clean-shaven; like a large egg.
What does alcohol symbolize?
Farrington's need to escape from his mundane life and his extreme poverty. It is his escapism from his life which constrains him.
In which setting does Farrington feel the safest and most comfortable in his own skin?
The local bars in town, near his workplace.
What is the conflict at the end of the chapter?
The child is beaten by his father when he returns from work.
What is the root of the conflict between Mr. Alleyne and Farrington?
What is Mr. Farrington's job?
He copies legal documents.
What does arm-wrestling symbolize?
Symbolizes Farrington's fragile masculinity, and his failure to ever accept being wrong; he is a weak character.
How does Farrington feel when in his working environment?
He feels unmotivated and constrained, which causes him to need to escape through alcohol. His effort is minimal, because he feels there is a world out there for him to see beyond his workplace.
What is the social paralysis in this story; where does each character feel constrained?
Mr. Alleyne and Mr. Farrington are both placed low in society; Mr. Alleyne feels constrained by his role in society, and Mr. Farrington feels constrained in the work setting.
Why does Farrington choose physical violence with his son, but verbal violence with Mr. Alleyne?
What is Miss Delacour's purpose?
She represents a world beyond Dublin because of her style and commodities (perfume, her over-the-top hat).
How does Farrington's demeanor change when he escapes the bar and returns home?
He releases his pent up anger that he shoves deep within himself when sober, and he takes it out on someone who is lower than him in the domestic setting, his son.
What does Mr. Farrington sell to buy more alcohol?
His watch-chain.
What is the internal conflict of both Farrington and Mr. Alleyne that makes the two characters counterparts of each other?
Both characters feel constrained by society and are unable to move up in a broader social hierarchy, and therefore try to deem power over others in smaller settings, such as their workplaces or homes.