Bright Young Things discussion

Please use this thread to discuss Episode 7 - Aeolus of...

Ulyssesby James Joyce

Courtesy of the Evanston IL Public Library

Episode 7: Aeolus – 12 noon, The Newspaper

What might be the significance of the newspaper headlines?

A major theme of Episode 7 is frustration. Which characters are frustrated and how so?

What is the meaning of Stephen’s Parable of the Plums? How might it relate to Stephen’s inner struggle?

As for the headlines, this is the Aeolus chapter and the artform is rhetoric, which is appropriate, and since Bloom is a newspaperman and the chapter is concerned with the inner life and culture of a newspaper, it all fits. I'm told the method is enthymeme, which I had to look up -- it's a form of syllogism in which the major or minor premise is left out -- the example given was "Children should be seen and not heard. Be quiet, John" with the part left out being "you're a child and you're making a racket". I interpret the headline as the primary assertion, the exposition is left out, and associative remarks are what's left. Very journalistic. And because the newspaper is the modern form of the Greek orator, the chapter is stuffed with rhetorical devices, I'm told. I know zip about rhetoric.

Somebody will have to explain why the major theme is frustration.