Joycean Absences

Due to the absent parents in the first story “The Sisters,” the young boy was raised by his aunt and uncle. Not having the first-hand father and motherly love, can create tension in the lives of the children. Although the people that cared for him were close relatives there is nothing like being cared for by the biological parents. We (the reader) can conclude that the child was also "raised"(in a way) by Father Flynn. His uncle said that Father Flynn taught the young boy a great deal. From Mr. Cotter’s point of view, he does not believe that letting him talk and spend time with the father is not healthy for a young child.

Joyce uses ellipses in every paragraph which creates a lot of questions. Specifically, the absence of the “ghost” or paralytic at the end of the story leaves the reader wondering who the ghost was or what the role of the ghost was. Also, why did he want to see this ghost? Was this ghost, Father Flynn?

The story about the chalice was also a big mystery. The sister said that it was the chalice he was the beginning of it. That affected his mind. When Father O’Rourke, the father and the clerk found him in the chapel sitting up by himself in the dark in his confession-box, wide awake and laughing-like softly to himself. At the end of the story Eliza resumed with the same phrase: “wide awake and laughing-like softly to himself….” and an ellipse followed by that made them think that there was something wrong with him…… and an ellipse at the end of the story. That left the reader with a greater question in mind. What really happened to the father?