Dubliners

Main Ideas

• Paralysis and stagnation: Joyce portrays Dublin as a city mired in paralysis and stagnation, where residents are unable to change their lives and are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.
• Epiphany: In each story, characters experience moments of sudden realization or revelation, often leading to internal changes or understanding of their situation.
• Social and religious critique: Joyce critiques Irish society, its social structures, and the influence of the Catholic Church, showing how they limit and suppress personal freedom and development.
• Childhood, adolescence, and maturity: The book is structured to transition from childhood to adolescence and maturity, reflecting different life stages and their corresponding challenges and experiences.
• Illusions and reality: Characters often face the gap between their dreams and reality, leading to disappointment and the realization of their existence's limitations.