Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce

Abstract

James Joyce (1882-1941), one of the leading figures of modernist literature, stands out with his works such as Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses. He has an essential place in literature in that he provides the first examples of many narrative techniques, especially the stream of consciousness. In his works, Joyce, an Irish writer, generally reflects Ireland's social, religious, and cultural characteristics. The opening story of Dubliners, The Sisters, is shaped around a priest and a young child, narrator of the story. This story, in which Joyce expresses his dissatisfaction and distrust of the Catholic Church and religion, covers the process following the death of priest James Flynn and the time the priest and the boy spend together before the priest’s death, through flashbacks, one of the basic techniques of modern narrative. In the process after the death, the mourning rituals of the Catholic and Irish faith, the social structure, and the attitudes and feelings adopted by the society are narrated. In his story, Joyce addresses death not only from an individual but also from a social perspective. The Sisters is essential in showing how language can be related to social, religious rituals, and culture. This article examines how James Joyce reflects Ireland's social structure, religious values, and culture in a linguistic context in his story The Sisters.