A Mother

by

James Joyce

Eight Guineas

The eight guineas symbolize both Mrs Kearney’s desire for social status and the outdated beliefs that ultimately undermine that status. When Mrs Kearney and Mr Holohan draw up a contract for Kathleen’s performance…

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Brown

In “A Mother,” Joyce uses the color brown to symbolize the dullness and decline of turn-of-the-20th-century Dublin, particularly the aspects of Dublin that have not changed in so long that they show signs of decay…

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Artistes

The word “artistes” symbolizes Mrs. Kearney’s upper-class pretensions and lack of genuine regard for Irish Nationalism. The French term appears in italics nine times throughout “A Mother,” and only Mrs Kearney ever…

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