James Joyce's narrative experiments with allusion in Dubliners.

Abstract

James Joyce is recognized as an innovator in the use of allusion. Many scholars have interpreted the allusions in Dubliners according to what they contribute to the text while other scholars have addressed Joyce's allusive method. This thesis contends that the guiding principle that scholars have used when evaluating Joyce's allusions and his allusive method, mainly the notion of allusion itself, is inadequate because Joyce redefines in Dubliners the rhetorical implications of an allusion. By analyzing the allusions in Dubliners, this study reveals that some of them do not appear to make any sense when interpreted traditionally by the reader. The solution to this problem lies in understanding Joyce's allusive method. Because Joyce views allusion as a process of consciousness, he understands that an allusion does not exist until a reader interacts with it. In addition, when he integrates this process into his narratives, he also depicts characters who have the capacity to create allusions. The allusions in Dubliners which appear not to make any sense do not make sense because the reader misunderstands Joyce's allusive method. In order to read Joyce's allusions accurately, readers must consult the context in which they appear to determine if a character is creating an allusion. There are three paradigms which describe the relationship between a character and an allusion. In the first paradigm a character creates an allusion from a chance encounter. This type of allusion will be described as flowing from "Chance-to-Character." Another paradigm in which a character can create allusions is from the deliberate suggestion of another character. This type of allusion will be described as flowing from "Character-to-Character... In the third paradigm in which a character can create an allusion the character creates the allusion in order to access his or her own mind. This relationship will be described as flowing from "Character-toSelf."