Ulysses
James Joyce
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
One day in Dublin
Why do you think Joyce set a whole novel in a single ordinary day, 16 June 1904?
Keep the conversation going
- What does that choice make you notice that a longer story wouldn't?
- Which part of the day stayed with you most?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
Why do you think Joyce set a whole novel in a single ordinary day, 16 June 1904?
Keep the conversation going
- What does that choice make you notice that a longer story wouldn't?
- Which part of the day stayed with you most?
What is Stephen carrying with him through the day, from his mother's death to his quarrel with Mulligan?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does he refuse to pray at his mother's bedside, and why does it haunt him?
- What is he searching for?
What makes Bloom, an ordinary advertising canvasser, a hero?
Keep the conversation going
- Which of his kindnesses did you notice?
- How does being an outsider in Dublin shape him?
How does Bloom deal with knowing that Molly will meet Blazes Boylan that afternoon?
Keep the conversation going
- Why doesn't he go home?
- What does the novel suggest about love and fidelity?
How does knowing the Odyssey change the way you read Ulysses, if at all?
Keep the conversation going
- Which parallels did you find funniest or most moving?
- Does the novel need them?
Each episode is written in a different style. Which did you find hardest, and which most rewarding?
Keep the conversation going
- What did the newspaper headlines or the playscript of Nighttown add?
- Does the book reward rereading more than first reading?
What passes between Bloom and Stephen when they finally come together late at night?
Keep the conversation going
- Is Bloom looking for a son, and Stephen for a father?
- Why does Stephen decline to stay?
How did you respond to Molly's closing monologue?
Keep the conversation going
- What does she remember about the day Bloom proposed on Howth?
- Why do you think Joyce gives her the last word, and ends on 'yes'?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.