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Hyperbole
Definition of Imagery
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery that engages... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines... read full definition
Imagery
Explanation and Analysis—Madam Glynn’s Singing:
When describing Madam Glynn’s singing in the final of the four concerts put on by the Eire Abu Society, Joyce uses imagery and hyperbole, as seen in the following passage:
The first part of the concert was very successful except for Madam Glynn’s item. The poor lady sang Killarney in a bodiless gasping voice, with all the old-fashioned mannerisms of intonation and pronunciation which she believed lent elegance to her singing. She looked as if she had been resurrected from an old stage-wardrobe and the cheaper parts of the hall made fun of her high wailing notes.
The imagery here—in which the narrator describes Madam Glynn’s voice as “bodiless” and “gasping,” as well as full of “high wailing notes”—helps readers fully immerse themselves in the scene. Being able to hear this awful singing alongside the characters makes it possible to appreciate how much of a disaster this concert series turned out to be. This, in turn, helps readers understand how incompetent the Nationalist Eire Abu Society is—their poor planning for a somewhat simple event hints at their inability to build a powerful political movement for Irish independence.
The hyperbole in this passage—“She looked as if she had been resurrected from an old stage-wardrobe”—similar points to weaknesses in the Nationalist movement. The exaggeration here about the singer’s styling makes it easy to visualize Madame Glynn's old-fashioned attire, which hints that the Nationalist movement as a whole is not impressing or inspiring people the way it ought to. Like the singer's outfit, the organization is outdated and lackluster.
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Explanation and Analysis—Mr. Fitzpatrick:
When introducing readers to the character of Mr. Fitzpatrick—the reporter for the Irish Nationalist newspaper Freeman's Journal—Joyce uses imagery, as seen in the following passage:
In the dressing-room behind the stage [Mrs. Kearney] was introduced to the secretary of the Society, Mr Fitzpatrick. She smiled and shook his hand. He was a little man with a white vacant face. She noticed that he wore his soft brown hat carelessly on the side of his head and that his accent was flat. He held a programme in his hand and, while he was talking to her, he chewed one end of it into a moist pulp. He seemed to bear disappointments lightly.
Joyce uses imagery here to engage readers’ different senses: they can see Mr. Fitzpatrick's short stature and “white vacant face,” feel his “soft brown hat” and the “moist pulp” of the program he has chewed on, and hear his flat accent. This descriptive language effectively brings readers closer into the scene, getting to know these new characters alongside Mrs. Kearney.
It is notable that, when taken together, the descriptions of Mr. Fitzpatrick paint an unflattering portrait of the man and of the Irish Nationalist movement he represents. For example, he is physically described as small and pale—two qualities that (whether true or not) often indicate weakness. Similarly, his flat accent implies a lack of vigor or liveliness. Further, the brown color of his hat is tied to the way that Joyce uses the color brown as a symbol for decay throughout the story (as brown is associated with dullness and a lack of life). That Mr. Fitzpatrick chews on the program also shows that, despite supposedly covering this important event, he does not care about the concert series or the intentions behind it.
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