James Joyce wrote two versions of his short story "The Sisters", the first under the pseudonym Stephen Daedalus. Both versions tell the story of a boy and a priest, Father Flynn. The latter dies and the people around him react to the loss. They share memories, speculate on its morality, and contemplate sin. The boy had been close to his father, but is slightly ambivalent about the death. The final version of Joyce's story completely parallels the first, but contains some important differences. Joyce filled in the blanks and clarified the characters more fully2E The final version of "The Sisters" is a more appropriate note on which to begin The Dubliners. Joyce added several themes that connect this story to the rest. An important addition is the mention of paralysis. Paralysis, a dominant theme of the entire collection, is not so explicit in the original version of this story. Another difference is that, in the final version, the boy is extremely awkward and frustrated. He easily experiences deep anger and irritation and constantly monitors his behavior for fear of embarrassing himself. Finally, and more generally, the final version is much darker. Joyce chose the words to express a sense of fear and uneasiness. The original, almost lighthearted version ends on a different note. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay James Joyce wrote The Dubliners because, as he said, "that city seemed to me the center of paralysis" (xxxi). In every story there is a character who is stuck in some way, some in patterns of alcoholism, some in uncomfortable family situations, or impossible love stories. "The Sisters" is an appropriate opening, because in the first paragraph the narrator contemplates this concept: "Every night, as I looked at the window, I repeated the word paralysis under my breath to myself. It had always sounded strange in my ears... ." (1) It is not clear why he thinks about paralysis. The reader is led to believe that the person behind the window is paralyzed because the boy wants to "get close to it and contemplate its deadly work" (1). In any case, the mention of paralysis at the beginning of "The Sisters" sets the stage for a series of dark stories. In the original version Joyce makes no mention of paralysis. Rather, he uses the word “Providence” several times. The element of fear is absent in the original, while in the final version the boy is "full" of fear. From the beginning to the end of The Dubliners, we meet characters, young and old, who feel as though they are always under surveillance. From the boy in “The Sisters” to Gabriel in “The Dead,” there is a bevy of overly self-conscious characters. This guy isn't as concerned about his behavior in the original version as he is in the final version. When he first returns home, he thinks more of himself than of his dead friend. “I knew I was under observation so I continued to eat as if the news didn't interest me” (2). And even though he's interested in it, and wants to lash out at Old Cotter for his moral judgment on the late priest, he doesn't want to make a wrong move or show any emotion. He appears to be slightly ashamed or uncomfortable about his relationship with Father Flynn. His obsession with himself continues the next day: "He finds it strange that neither I nor the day seemed to be in a mournful mood and I even felt annoyed at discovering in myself a feeling of freedom as if I had been freed from something by his death " (4). The boy only thinks about his personal reactions and how others see him. Death is only significant to the extent that it affects him. At the funeral ceremony, his nanny told himoffers cream crackers. “…but I refused because I thought I would make too much noise eating them” (7). Again, death revolves around the boy2E No one would notice how much noise he would make eating the crackers, and his refusal of the offer seems rude. The boy also tiptoes into the dead room so as not to attract attention. Joyce probably added the element of self-awareness for two reasons. The first is that it creates a connection with the other stories and with the other self-aware characters. There's a fluidity and logic to The Dubliners that wouldn't exist without common threads like this. Another reason is that this type of behavior is typical of childhood. His stories are divided into four categories, and to make this one clearly focused on childhood, it was necessary to magnify the youthful and awkward aspects of the boy. In the original version, very little time is spent in the boy's head. When the adults discuss Father Flynn, the boy is furious. He would like to intervene, but he is too angry. "I filled my mouth with agitator for fear of giving vent to my anger. Boring old red-nosed imbecile!" (3) In the original version, the boy doesn't like Old Cotter, but his criticisms never go beyond "boring". He sees it more as a distraction. In the final version, Old Cotter has become a threat. The boy finds Cotter condescending and hateful. This difference is related to the previous paragraph on self-awareness. To vividly portray childhood, Joyce showed the boy's insecurities and anger. Even if he doesn't say it or think it, the boy has lost a very dear friend and is suffering. In this story he expresses his pain in the form of anger. Another difference is the overall dark tone of the final version of "The Sisters". Through the use of language rather than plot, Joyce achieved a dark and depressing state of mind. An example occurs early on, as the boy looks at the window. In the original version, Joyce writes: "As I walked home I wondered whether that square of window was lighted as before, or revealed the ceremonial candles by whose light the Christian must take his last sleep." In the most recent version, we have: "If he were dead, I thought, I would see the reflection of the candles on the darkened curtain for I knew that two candles must be placed on the head of a corpse" (1). Joyce uses the word "corpse" more than once in the final version, and this affects the overall tone of the piece. Another example is the disturbing presence of Father Flynn, who is much less present in the original. As the boy tries to sleep on the night of Father Flynn's death in the new version, he describes a gray face following him, trying to talk to him. This is such a dark and scary image that it casts a shadow over the rest of the story. Another word choice that changes the story is the description of the Father's nostrils. In the original they are described as "lying". In the final, "black cavernous" (6). A final example is the end of the story. While in the original it ends with the exclamation "God rest his soul!", in the revision it ends with the more disturbing "...there was something wrong with him..." (10). It is evident that Joyce went through this story very deliberately with a specific purpose in mind. James Joyce rewrote "The Sisters" to show the idea of ​​paralysis, to give a stark and more jarring portrait of childhood, and, finally, to alert those who read The Dubliners that they will not encounter a very cheerful group of people in stories come. The original version is forgettable. It is the story of a man who dies and the subsequent funeral service. The final version is about a boy who loses a dear friend, one with perhaps questionable morals. It's about the dead priest he haunts,