CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ‘THE SISTERS’

‘The Sisters’ by James Joyce is a short story set in 1914 Ireland. There are seven

characters in the story – the little boy, Father Flynn, two sisters – Eliza and Nannie, Old

Cotter-a family friend, Aunt and uncle of the boy. The little boy who is quiet self-conscious,

expresses his emotions about the death of a Catholic priest, Father Flynn and recalls his

friendship with him. Rest of the characters tries to speculate the priests’ morality. Joyce’s

underlying tones in the story are about Catholicism and Catholic faith.

The story begins as the little boy reflects on his thoughts about Father Flynn who is

approaching death as he had three strokes which has left him ‘paralysed’. Later, Old Cotter

shares the news that the priest is dead and criticises the priest of being queer and peculiar

which bothers the boy. The climax here comes when boy realizes that the death of the priest

gave him a sense of freedom and learns about Father Flynn’s hideous desires. In the final

scene Eliza talks about Father Flynn breaking the chalice and also mentions that he was

struck by insanity after this. This indicates that Father Flynn has indulged in some immoral

acts, may be child abuse . The irony is that the person people go for solemn is a corruptor

himself.

The author uses a technique called the ‘stream of consciousness’ throughout the story

.The story flows like a thought process, as if somebody is looking at something and thinking.

The story is from the point of view of a little boy who gives us a view of the social and

political situation of Ireland. Joyce creates an unpleasant picture of the priest through the use

of imagery. For example- ‘grey face,’ ‘lips were so moist with spittle,’ ‘big discoloured

teeth.’ The major symbolism used is the broken chalice which symbolises the sin committed

by Father Flynn. Moreover, an idle chalice on Father Flynn’s chest doesn’t serve any purpose

which is symbolic of the Catholic Church. In addition Joyce uses colours like grey brown

which are associated with death and decay. The Father figure has been used as a

“personification of the theological virtue, faith.” [ CITATION Flo73 \l 2057 ] Joyce also creates
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ‘THE SISTERS’

epiphany moments in the story for example the boy realizing a sense of freedom from the

death of the priest, Eliza realizing that Father Flynn became mentally unstable because of the

sin he committed.

. . . discovering in myself a sensation of freedom as if I had been freed from

something by his death. [CITATION Joy \l 2057 ]

“It was that chalice he broke. . . .[CITATION Joy \l 2057 ]

. . . there he was, sitting up by himself in the dark in his confession-box,

wide-awake and laughing-like softly to himself?” [CITATION Joy \l 2057 ]

Joyce creates mysteries throughout the story which remains unresolved and are left for

the reader to analyse. The first theme is paralysis which refers the paralysis of the society.

The church's ability to paralyze others through the rituals of religion and stops one from

taking action as though they experience a kind of death in life. The second theme is death

which refers to the freedom that the boy gets after the death of the priest. Also, it can be said

that Father Flynn had a spiritual death long before he actually passed away. The third theme

is corruption related to simony- selling of pardons or benefices by the Catholic Church.

Basically, throughout the story “Joyce deconstructs the very “foundations” of the Catholic

Church and defames its image by showing it in an unscrupulous, stagnant, corrupted and

“paralytic” condition, which not only advances no one in life but also stops the artist from

achieving a sense of artistic freedom and creativity.”[ CITATION Ali13 \l 2057 ]

 CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ‘THE SISTERS’

Bibliography
GÜNEŞ, A. (2013, June 2). “It was that chalice he broke…”: James Joyce’s Dissatisfaction with Religion
in His Short Story, The Sisters* . Journal of History Culture and Art Research.

Joyce, J. (1914). The Sisters. In Dubliners.

The Sisters. (n.d.). sparknotes.

Walzl, F. L. (1973). Joyce's "The Sisters": A Development. James Joyce Quarterly, 47.