Counterparts

In “Counterparts,” James Joyce approaches character development through the techniques of modernism. On the surface, Farrington is a disgraceful figure, yet because of Joyce’s styling, a more complete depiction of him evolves. The devices of stream of consciousness and realism put an emphasis on the struggles of the individual. The result is a social commentary that criticizes the institutions that emasculate Irish men and lead them to unfulfilled lives bereft of opportunities, which drives them toward addiction and violence. The symbol of the circle creates cyclical movement in the story that serves to highlight Farrington’s entrapment. As an unremarkable man, Farrington’s plight stands as a cultural phenomenon rather than an anomaly.

Farrington is middle-aged and walks with a “heavy step” when summoned by his boss. He is not a young man who is eager to make a name for himself in his employment, but one who has put in many years and grudgingly carries out his duties. In fact, Farrington finds it difficult to concentrate on Mr. Alleyne’s tirade as his thoughts drift toward his desire to physically harm his boss and his need for alcohol: “[He] stared fixedly at the polished skull which directed the affairs of Crosbie and Alleyne, gauging its fragility. A spasm of rage gripped his throat for a few moments and then passed leaving after it a sharp sensation of thirst” (71). Farrington’s drifting thoughts cause him to become a sympathetic figure even though his inner monologue is distasteful. This is the type of realism utilized by the modern writers, and Joyce masters the technique of presenting his characters not in terms of protagonists with positive attributes and antagonists with negative qualities, but rather as individuals with a mix of both.

The mundane routine of Farrington’s job as a copy clerk is straightforward, yet he is unable to complete his task, because it is tedious and does not challenge his mind. As a result, he is tormented with thoughts about escaping to the pub during and after his working hours. The circle motif is first presented as the letters that Farrington has been assigned to copy. The lines that Farrington is supposed to transcribe—“In no case shall the said Bernard Bodley be…”—haunt him, leading him to copy incorrectly: “[H]e wrote Bernard Bernard instead of Bernard Bodley and had to begin again on a clear sheet” (73-74). Since he is writing the letters in ink, he is unable to erase. The nature of the work is frustrating, because even though it is mindless, it requires intense focus, not allowing room for mistakes. There is a cyclical quality to the futility of concentrating on a meaningless task, because it is time-consuming yet unsatisfying. Here the cycle is purgatory in nature because every time he writes incorrectly, he must begin again.

Farrington’s internal dialogue is a rut that he does not get out of until he speaks to his boss disrespectfully and leaves work for the day with the clear directive that if he does not apologize, he will be fired. However, once away from his office, Farrington’s evening spirals out to more cyclical patterns. Even the tradition of buying drinks for friends is called “rounds,” implying that there is a continuum to the evening’s escapades that does not have a stopping point. After the drudgery of the workday, it is understandable why the men of Dublin find refuge in the inviting pub rather than going home. Farrington’s wife is briefly described as “a little sharpfaced woman who bullied her husband when he was sober and was bullied by him when he was drunk” (81). He has no money to contribute to the household and, as the income provider, his anecdote of telling off his boss would not be received favorably by his spouse. Therefore, the embrace of the pub and the numbing quality of alcohol are the only relief that a man like Farrington has at his disposal. Farrington is understandably reluctant to call an end to his evening and leave the pub. At work he is demeaned and emasculated by his boss’s reprimands, and at home he is unwelcome. The only atmosphere that offers him any sense of empowerment is the pub.

Farrington is momentarily buffeted by the accolades he receives for his work story. That popularity, along with the effects of the alcohol, causes him to forget that he is an older man with a family. The pub is an escape from his responsibilities, giving him a false sense of youth and masculinity. When a younger man named Weathers joins Farrington’s group, it is suggested that since he is in the theatre, he can introduce his new friends to a group of actresses. One of Farrington’s acquaintances bursts Farrington’s facade of freedom by pointing out he is a married man and need not be included, and in response, “Farrington’s heavy dirty eyes leered at the company in token that he understood when he was being chaffed” (78). Farrington’s eyes betray his emotions more so now that he is inebriated than when he was angered by his boss during the day. His grip is slipping on his temporary elation brought about by alcohol, and instead he must stave off depression and anger.

As a married man, it is inappropriate for Farrington to pursue a young woman in the pub, and while he does not act upon his attraction to one young British actress in particular, he does repeatedly look at her. She is aware of him staring, but she does not return his eye contact. Farrington’s temporary departure from his life’s trappings causes him to forget his age, and while he may have once been a young man who could attract the attention of a woman in the pub, the actress’s dismissal brings him back to the reality of his current existence. His mind spirals with regret, and he “cursed his want of money and cursed all the rounds he had stood” (79). Resorting to cursing is a reminder that Farrington is part of a Catholic Ireland that believes in a literal hell. His confinement and circumstances have similarly condemned him to perpetual torture in the form of his adult commitments and aging body, all of which are inescapable.

While the men of Ireland may find escape in the pub, the Catholic Church provides refuge for women like his wife. Farrington’s wife seeks comfort in the church, yet Joyce never strays far from criticizing the hypocrisy of the church; even in a loveless marriage rife with physical abuse, like in “Counterparts,” divorce is illegal. Within the institutions of marriage and the church, the continuity of circles encompasses the binding contract that the husband and wife must endure. It is a fatalistic existence that will repeat daily. When the story closes with Farrington beating his son Tom, it is understood that upon waking the next day his life will not change. With no other options available to him, he will apologize to Mr. Alleyne, and he will endure perhaps even more bullying from his boss as a reprisal. His withdrawals from alcohol will give new poignancy to his obsession with obtaining more, and so on will this struggle continue.