26 pages 52 minutes read

James Joyce

The Boarding House

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1914

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Important Quotes

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“MRS. MOONEY was a butcher’s daughter.”


(Paragraph 1)

This first line establishes both Mrs. Mooney’s character and her social class, underscoring the social connotations associated with being a butcher in Dublin at the time. Though it is a simple sentence, it is very much key to establishing the main themes of the story.

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“Polly Mooney, the Madam’s daughter, would also sing. She sang: I’m a…naughty girl. You needn’t sham: You know I am.”


(Paragraphs 3-4)

The song that Polly sings adds to the stereotype of her character, identifying the archetype she has fallen into as a working-class young woman. The lyrics of the music-hall song are deliberately provocative, underlining Polly’s flirtatious nature. This is one of the reader’s first glimpses of Polly, establishing how she is perceived for the rest of the story.

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“[B]ut Mrs. Mooney, who was a shrewd judge, knew that the young men were only passing the time away: none of them meant business.”


(Paragraph 5)

The syntax in this quote is helpful for both rhythm and to add a crucial detail: “none of them meant business.” This section demonstrates that Mrs. Mooney keenly observes her daughter’s suitors, ready to facilitate an advantageous marriage.

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