(McNeil) Religious Struggles

Throughout the story of James Joyce's Dubliners, religion plays a large part in just about everything Joyce rights about.  The first story "The Sisters" is where we first see the theme of religion.  The narrator is struggling with the loss of his mentor Father Flynn. Though the narrator sees greatness in the Father not everyone has the same views.  Another character Old Cotter insinuates that Father Flynn had ulterior motives for becoming so close with the narrator.  There was talk of how Father Flynn's behavior had become odd right before his death.  He was found locked in a confessional box laughing to himself and could not hold a steady grip on a chalice.  In the past religion has been a struggle for the city of Dublin, the Catholics versus the Protestants.  During the time of Joyce's writing was the conflict was at its highest peak.

Another story focusing on religion is "Grace". The main character Tom Kernan is a converted Catholic who struggles with his lack of faith.  Kernan converted to Catholicism when he married his wife and wasn't to thrilled about the idea.  Kernan's friends in the story try to help boost his lack of faith by dragging him along to a church retreat.  The focus of this story is to highlight the role of religion in the lives of Dubliners and the process of redemption.  It is mentioned in the story that Father Purdon shares his name with the popular red-light district of Dublin, this creates irony in the reader because it is suggesting that the Father is a symbolism of sin even though he considered to be divine in the name of the church.  Religion serves a great purpose in creating part of the history of the city of Dublin.  Even today parts of Ireland struggle with the Catholicism versus Protestantism fight that was so prominent back then.

The Celtic/Irish cross dates as far back as 7th century AD.  The cross became a Christian symbol that would represent the first century crucifixition of Jesus.  Legend says that the cross was first introduced into Ireland by St. Patrick in order to help convert the pagan Irish. The combination of the typical Christian cross and the sun cross from the Pagan religion was to help the Pagan Irish have an importance towards the cross, therefore having an importance to Christianity.