Early in part three Miss McAdam talks to Eilis about why Miss Keegan left the house, stating that she went to Long Island? Later It Miss McAdams states that "It might be long island for all of us". Is Long Island used as a postivie or a negative symbol throughout the story and if so why?
How has Eilis home life in America reflected her experience as an imigrant? Why hasn't she gotten closer to any of her house mates?
Why Do you think Miss Bartocci picked Eilis to work the counter when more "colored" customers were coming into the store?
Do you think that if tony did not ask her to marry him that she would return to america?
Why is it up to Eilis to return home and stay with her mom while her brothers go back to England? Has their absences made them less like family and more like visitors?
When Tony mentioned kids Eilis got very scared, but when talking about moving to Long Island she seems very pleased with the idea, Why?
Uncle Sam - Strong Features
"Uncle Sam is a Man of Strong Features" (1898)
4. I think that the only thing that made Eilis come back to Amerika was her marriage and Tony. She felt guilty for dating Jim Farrell in Enniscorthy. However, it was her hometown and Eilis seemed to feel there much more comfortable than in Brooklyn. If she stay in Ireland, she would most likely marry him, move to his big house, work in the office, where the Rose used to work, she would live close to her mom, helping her and visiting her, but she was a married woman, and it stopped her. She didn't even love Tony, but she felt sorry for him.
ReplyDelete1. Long Island is representative of an upwardly mobile move. Only immigrants who have amounted to something have the ability to move to Long Island. It is a positive perspective. In long Island you own and do as you please, more so than at a boarding house. It shows both economic and personal independence within the confines of class and immigrant identity, racial too, though that is not commented on in the story, in regards to Long Island. As an Irish immigrant you are offered two directions, the Christmas route or the Long Island.
ReplyDelete4. I would imagine it is Eillis's job to return to Ireland because stability can be provided on her behalf. Her brothers might take the burden if there were opportunities available for them, but the death of Rose has created a nice nook for her to fill, even wardrobe wise. Also, they have been away much longer and are likely that much less "Irish" than Eillis has wandered. She does not have a home made out in America, not as far as anyone is concerned. Without the ties she is still a visitor in Brooklyn, her brothers have girlfriends and CAREERS. A nice way to take sexism out of the equation too.
In response to "Do you think that if tony did not ask her to marry him that she would return to america?" I would like to believe that Eilis would have stayed in Ireland for some time longer in order to take care of her mother. One of the problems that I have with this novel is that Eilis does not take into account how her marriage and therefore attachment to America would affect her family. She made a hasty decision when she agreed to marry Tony. I feel the Eilis should have at least tried to either set up a support system for her mother once Eilis returned to America or she should have at least asked to mother to come to America with her. .... Although I would hope that Eilis would have eventually gone back to America because it would have been the best for her job wise... I think that had she not been married to Tony she would have stayed with her mother out of guilt.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the question concerning whether Eilis would return to America had Tony not asked her to marry him, I find that Eilis would not. In fact, I think she still wouldn’t have returned if her and Tony were still boyfriend and girlfriend. Eilis would probably have written Tony a letter explaining her reasons to stay, this would be non-confrontational and fitting to Eilis’ passive character. If it wasn’t for Miss Kelly’s subtle hints that she knew Eilis’ secret, Eilis would have stayed in Ireland.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing to marry Tony, forming a sacred and an official bond to him, indirectly caused Eilis to form a permanent bond to New York. I don’t think this is what caused her to return to New York, I just think this caused Eilis’ guilt to increase but she continued her relations with Jim until her encounter with Miss Kelly.
Her marriage, which began to resemble more of an alliance, didn’t even prevent her from becoming physical with Jim at the Courthouse hotel after visiting the beach. Eilis was so passive aggressive, she had decided that she would not go into the waters again but when Jim asked her, she couldn’t find it in her heart to say no. Eilis even questioned whether she loved Tony. This feeling can be understood because with time her feelings could have subsided or become foreign to her, At Nancy’s wedding, Mrs. Bryne even addressed her and Jim as a couple, saying that the next time it would be Jim’s wedding everyone would be attending. Eilis was ignoring her marriage, pursuing relations with Jim to the extent that the town people even acknowledged it. If it hadn’t been for Miss Kelly’s hint that Eilis’ secret had been discovered, Eilis wouldn’t return to Brooklyn. Eilis’ drawers would have continued to accumulate with Tony’s unopened letters and Eilis would have continued to push her past in New York aside.
Miss Bartocci probably picked Eilis to work with the new colored customers because Eilis carried herself out with respect and is discreet. Being that she originated from Ireland, Eilis was not formerly introduced to racism for the most part, unlike many people within America. Many of the other workers possibly having already discriminated against black people would have refused to provide any type of service towards them. Eilis was the best worker suitable to be able to work with the colored customers in carrying out a respectable and professional way in handling the situation most people found awkward or simply denied.
ReplyDeleteLater on in the story when Eilis decides to marry Tony and returning to Ireland to have a fling with Jim, She wouldn't have returned if she was not married. Eilis felt the need to return simply because she had to comply the duty of being Tony's wife, otherwise she would've stood in Ireland where everything seemed to fit right in.