Clay

by

James Joyce

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Alphy Donnelly Character Analysis

Alphy Donnelly is Joe Donnelly’s brother, with whom Joe—for unspecified reasons—no longer speaks. Maria cared for both Alphy and Joe when they were children, and it’s implied that she still speaks with Alphy, since she tries to “put in a good word for him” with Joe at the Hallow Eve party. Joe is enraged when Maria suggests that he and Alphy reconcile, so Maria drops the matter, but she does say that the brothers were close as children, and it’s implied that Joe’s oldest son, Alphy, is named for him.

Alphy Donnelly Quotes in Clay

The Clay quotes below are all either spoken by Alphy Donnelly or refer to Alphy Donnelly. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Loneliness and Estrangement Theme Icon
).
Clay Quotes

Often he had wanted her to go and live with them; but she would have felt herself in the way (though Joe’s wife was ever so nice with her) and she had become accustomed to the life of the laundry. Joe was a good fellow. She had nursed him and Alphy too; and Joe used often say:

—Mamma is mamma but Maria is my proper mother.

Related Characters: Maria, Joe Donnelly, Alphy Donnelly
Page Number: 96
Explanation and Analysis:

She arranged in her mind all she was going to do and thought how much better it was to be independent and to have your own money in your pocket. She hoped they would have a nice evening. She was sure they would but she could not help thinking what a pity it was Alphy and Joe were not speaking. They were always falling out now but when they were boys together they used to be the best of friends: but such was life.

Related Characters: Maria, Joe Donnelly, Alphy Donnelly
Page Number: 98
Explanation and Analysis:

[…] Maria thought she would put in a good word for Alphy. But Joe cried that God might strike him stone dead if ever he spoke a word to his brother again and Maria said she was sorry she had mentioned the matter. Mrs Donnelly told her husband it was a great shame for him to speak that way of his own flesh and blood but Joe said that Alphy was no brother of his and there was nearly being a row on the head of it. But Joe said he would not lose his temper on account of the night it was and asked his wife to open some more stout.

Related Characters: Maria, Joe Donnelly, Mrs. Donnelly, Alphy Donnelly
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 100
Explanation and Analysis:
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Alphy Donnelly Quotes in Clay

The Clay quotes below are all either spoken by Alphy Donnelly or refer to Alphy Donnelly. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Loneliness and Estrangement Theme Icon
).
Clay Quotes

Often he had wanted her to go and live with them; but she would have felt herself in the way (though Joe’s wife was ever so nice with her) and she had become accustomed to the life of the laundry. Joe was a good fellow. She had nursed him and Alphy too; and Joe used often say:

—Mamma is mamma but Maria is my proper mother.

Related Characters: Maria, Joe Donnelly, Alphy Donnelly
Page Number: 96
Explanation and Analysis:

She arranged in her mind all she was going to do and thought how much better it was to be independent and to have your own money in your pocket. She hoped they would have a nice evening. She was sure they would but she could not help thinking what a pity it was Alphy and Joe were not speaking. They were always falling out now but when they were boys together they used to be the best of friends: but such was life.

Related Characters: Maria, Joe Donnelly, Alphy Donnelly
Page Number: 98
Explanation and Analysis:

[…] Maria thought she would put in a good word for Alphy. But Joe cried that God might strike him stone dead if ever he spoke a word to his brother again and Maria said she was sorry she had mentioned the matter. Mrs Donnelly told her husband it was a great shame for him to speak that way of his own flesh and blood but Joe said that Alphy was no brother of his and there was nearly being a row on the head of it. But Joe said he would not lose his temper on account of the night it was and asked his wife to open some more stout.

Related Characters: Maria, Joe Donnelly, Mrs. Donnelly, Alphy Donnelly
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 100
Explanation and Analysis: