Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Counterparts, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Resentment, Anger, and Indignity
Fantasy, Reality, and Escapism
Masculinity
Summary
Analysis
A “furious voice,” marked by a distinctive North Ireland accent, shouts at his assistant, Miss Parker, to send Farrington up to his office. Miss Parker relays the message to Farrington that Mr. Alleyne wants to see him, and Farrington begrudgingly rises from his desk and “heavily” plods across the room and up the stairs to Mr. Alleyne’s private office.
The word “furious” is repeated twice in the very first sentence of the story, suggesting that anger will play a significant part in the plot. The “furious” boss’s power over his employee is immediately made clear in the opening section through his authoritative tone and Farrington’s silent and cowed response. Joyce also highlights Alleyne’s identity as a Northern Irish man, which is significant because Northern Irish people made up the ruling classes of Ireland during this period, when Britain controlled the country—yet another indication that Alleyne is a symbol of power and authority.
Themes
Mr. Alleyne—a small man with a pinkish bald head—immediately lays into Farrington, yelling at him for not yet making a copy of a very important contract, which he was supposed to have completed by 4:00 p.m. Farrington begins to protest that Mr. Shelley told him differently, but Alleyne interrupts, telling Farrington to always listen to him and not Mr. Shelley. He berates Farrington for always making excuses and then threatens to get Mr. Crosbie involved if Farrington doesn’t have the contract copied by the end of the day. Before dismissing Farrington, Mr. Alleyne sharply reminds him that his lunch break is a half an hour—not an hour and a half.
Mr. Alleyne’s criticisms in this passage introduce Farrington as a man who is not exactly reliable with his work. While it’s possible that Farrington does have a fair reason for not having the contract done—he implies that another person at the company told him something that conflicted with Mr. Alleyne’s instructions—Mr. Alleyne’s comment about Farrington’s excessively long lunch breaks seems to solidify the fact that Farmington is flaky and unreliable.
Themes
Farrington remains rooted on the spot, staring at Mr. Alleyne. He’s overcome with a rush of anger and knows that he’ll need to go out drinking after work, hoping that Mr. Alleyne might give him his paycheck a little bit early. Realizing the copy clerk is still standing there, Mr. Alleyne dismisses him sharply, reminding him again to have the contract copied by the end of the day or else Mr. Crosbie will be notified.
Here, Farrington is forced to bottle up his anger, seemingly knowing that lashing out would only cost him his job, since Mr. Alleyne is already deeply displeased with him. It’s telling, too, that whenever Farrington feels his rush of anger throughout the story, he immediately starts craving alcohol, suggesting that he drinks to escape his bleak reality. The pub is the place he can forget his woes, but by the end of the story, the reader will come to realize that such a desire to escape reality through alcohol is entirely destructive.
Themes
Farrington slinks back to his desk, depressed. He simply cannot concentrate on the work, and he feels desperately thirsty for alcohol. He sneaks out to the warm pub around the corner for a quick beer, which he quickly downs and then hurries back to the office, hoping that no one has noticed him and that he still has time to finish his work. But when he returns, Mr. Alleyne immediately demands that the contract is sent to him, and Farrington has no choice but to comply.
The theme of escaping reality is continued in this scene and is made literal by the fact that Farrington no longer just daydreams, he actually shirks his responsibilities at work and leaves for the pub—despite just getting yelled at for this very behavior. This brief attempt to forget and escape causes Farrington more harm than good—now he’s even further behind than before—which suggests to the reader that escapism and fantasy are temporary balms for unhappiness but not a solution in themselves. In fact, as it happens here, turning to escapism as a coping mechanism can be unproductive and even outright harmful.
Themes
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Certain that he’s in deep trouble, Farrington waits for Alleyne to notice that he hasn’t finished the contract. He feels the urge for violence bubble up inside of him because “All the indignities of his life enraged him.” He wishes he could be out drinking with “the boys”: Leonard, O’Halloran, and Nosey Flynn.
Farrington’s inability to finish copying the document is a kind of paralysis—a common thread that links all of the short stories in Joyce’s Dubliners. This first failure prefigures Farrington’s later failures. In each case, Farrington’s mind wanders off in fantasy and anger when confronted by his inadequacy.
Themes
Moments later, Alleyne bounds to Farrington’s desk and berates him angrily in front of all the staff and in front of the glamorous and wealthy Miss Delacour, one of Alleyne’s clients (whom, it is rumored, he is “sweet on”). Scathingly, Alleyne asks Farrington, “do you take me for a fool?” Before he can even think, Farrington blurts out, “I don’t think, sir, […] that that’s a fair question to put to me.” For a moment, everyone is silent and shocked, Farrington included. The clerks smile, but Mr. Alleyne is incensed with rage and threatens Farrington’s job.
Farrington’s comment embarrasses Alleyne in front of Miss Delacour, whom Alleyne is interested in romantically, so this exchange is potentially a blow to the man’s masculinity. Alleyne’s embarrassment at being answered back to in front of a lady also foreshadows Farrington’s own embarrassment at being ignored by the lady in the pub.
Themes
Farrington is forced to give Mr. Alleyne “an abject apology.” Farrington hates everyone—himself included—and he feels “savage and thirsty and revengeful.” He knows his job is on the rocks, and the office is bound to be a hellish place for him now. In fact, things have been rocky ever since Mr. Alleyne overheard Farrington making fun of the man’s Northern Irish accent to Higgins and Miss Parker. Thinking of all this, Farrington’s entire body longs “for the comfort of the public-house.”
Throughout the story, Joyce emphasizes that the brand of masculinity that permeates Farrington’s world rests on a dichotomy of humiliation and victory. As this scene shows, Farrington and Alleyne are participating in a sort of tug-of-war for power and authority—but since Alleyne is the boss, he has the final say, and Farrington is once again defeated. And, once again, Farrington copes with his sense of indignity by getting lost in his fantasies of the pub.
Themes
Desperate for money with which he can buy alcohol, Farrington pawns his watch—thinking himself genius for coming up with the idea—and quickly heads to the pub. On his way, he looks around at the street urchins and young women wandering around, and he feels a quiet sense of triumph in his wit and cleverness. Through the smokiness of the first pub, he sees his friend Nosey Flynn and tells him the tale of the day’s affairs—how he had brilliantly made his boss to look like a fool and impressed the other clerks.
As he gets farther away from the office, Farrington’s self-loathing and humiliation begins to morph into a feeling of triumph. Even though it was clear to Farrington—and the reader—that Mr. Alleyne “won” their fight, Farrington now turns to fantasy and reconstructs a totally different image of the argument. While dipping into his daydreams may help Farrington feel better in this moment, it doesn’t change the fact that his job is seriously threatened, emphasizing how fantasy and the escapism it provides can be more of a hurt than a help.
Themes
After a while, the pair are joined by O’Halloran and Paddy Leonard. Farrington tells them the tale again, and they all laugh together and order drinks. All of the men are clearly quite drunk now, and Farrington decides to repeat the story once more to his friend Higgins, who has just arrived. The roaring laughter gets louder and louder, and the men all stand and admire Farrington’s bravery and wit. Meanwhile, Farrington watches his friends with his “dirty eyes,” his moustache dripping with liquor.
Alcohol and fantasy intertwine in this passage as two key methods of escapism. Having just come from a humiliating day at work, Farrington turns to alcohol to numb his mind and fantasy to bolster his spirit, making himself seem far more powerful, brave, and witty than he actually is. Joyce reminds readers not to fall for Farrington’s embellished story by describing the man’s sloppy, drunken appearance.
Themes
Money is becoming a little tight, and the men decide—a little regretfully—to leave the pub in search of another. At the next bar, which is “full of men,” Farrington is introduced to an Englishman named Weathers, an “artiste” who’s performing at a local theater. Farrington buys the man a drink, but much to his anger, Weathers repeatedly accepts Farrington’s offers without reciprocating. He praises the hospitality of the Irish, without giving that hospitality back. Farrington takes a dislike to him.
The next pub is described as being “full of men,” which cues readers into the idea that at this time, the pub was primarily a male space. This context, plus the fact that Farrington has been telling the group his tall tale of standing up to Mr. Alleyne, suggests that this society lends itself to a kind of performative masculinity, which impels showing off and boasting. It is also significant that Farrington—in this explicitly masculine context—is introduced to Weathers, who is employed in characteristically un-masculine profession as an “artiste,” or performer.
Themes
When the pub closes, the men venture back out into the night in search of even more alcohol. The group enters another bar through a door at the back. A pair of strikingly dressed women enters, the men saluting them. Farrington gazes at one of the women: she is dressed in a feathered hat with a pair of yellow gloves. Farrington sees a chance to flirt. He holds her gaze for what seems like a while as the noise of the pub fades into the background. She gets up and makes her way towards him, but she merely passes him, excusing herself in a London accent.
Joyce is careful to mention every time the group orders another round of drinks. This might seem repetitious, but it is done to show the reader how much alcohol plays a part in how these men socialize. On another note, Farrington thinks that he’s successfully flirting with the woman, but this fantasy is exposed when she gets up and ignores him, clearly unmoved by his advances. As with Mr. Alleyne and Weathers, whose accents are also indicative of their social standing, this lady’s “London accent” identifies her as English, the colonial masters of Ireland. Given the symbolism underpinning her accent—plus her outright rejection of Farrington—it is clear that the woman is in a completely different league to Farrington. This also reinforces the idea that in the world of the story, masculinity hinges on either humiliation or victory.
Themes
Farrington, unhappy now, is called back to the table where Weathers is boasting about his biceps. They look strong, but the men are convinced that Farrington’s are better, so they challenge both men to arm-wrestle. Farrington is goaded to protect the “national honor.” Reluctantly, he places his elbow on the table and puts takes Weathers’s hand.
In this section, the themes of resentment, masculinity, and fantasy all overlap. Farrington’s obligation to defend Ireland’s national honor against the Englishman Weathers symbolizes the subjugation and indignity suffered Ireland has suffered at the hands (so to speak) of the English, while the choice of an arm-wrestling match has clear overtones of masculinity.
Themes
After a short tussle, Farrington loses the first round. He again puts his elbow on the table and takes Weathers’s hand. The fight begins, and Farrington pulls with all his might. But it is no use—his hand is pulled down, and he loses again. Enraged, rejected, and embittered, Farrington explodes at a nearby man who comments on his defeat. Perhaps fearing the possible violence in the situation, O’Halloran tells them it’s time to go.
Farrington’s disgrace here becomes symbolic of Ireland’s disgrace, which is compounded by the embarrassment he felt in the last section because of the English lady’s rejection. The spectacle of Farrington’s disgrace is a highly macho game: arm-wrestling. Therefore, Farrington’s disgrace is not only one of national dishonor, but is also indicative of his failure as a man.
Themes
Farrington returns home in a foul mood. The house is cold and silent. He calls up to his wife, but the only answer is the plaintive welcome of his son, Tom. Clearly afraid of his father, he explains that his mother, Farrington’s wife, is at church. Farrington orders his son to heat the dinner, but, noticing the fire has been left to go out, grabs his son to beat him. Tom pleads with his father not to hurt him, crying that he’ll say a Hail Mary for his father if only he’ll stop hurting him.
At the beginning of the story, Farrington had longed for the “warmth” and snugness of the pub, but he ends the story in a cold and apparently deserted house, with his wife absent and the fire unlit. In other words, even though he did indulge in escapism by drinking all night in the pub, it did nothing to change his underlying life. At the beginning of the story, Farrington’s rage had always stuck in his body—he had never been able to act or speak his rage, though he longed to. In the final scene, he finally vents his anger, but he vents it on his defenseless and innocent son—a boy so innocent that he thinks his father can be stopped by promising to say Hail Mary’s on his behalf. With this heartbreaking ending, Joyce shows how Farrington’s bottled-up resentment is poisonous, infecting every area of his life.
Themes
