Jimmy Doyle in James Joyce's "After The Race" be accepted by a group of wealthy men. His constant desire to present himself as an aristocrat, one who is constantly in the company of elite individuals, undermines his ability to reason and make sound judgments. This weakness is mainly exemplified by his reckless gambling and drunken talk. Jimmy's obsession with advancing his social status leads to his death as he ultimately finds himself in a state of desolation and poverty. The disloyalty of Jimmy's so-called friends further accentuates the malevolence of greed as the French seem to accept Jimmy simply for his investment in the auto industry. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Jimmy's father's success furthers Jimmy's desire to improve his social status as much as it highlights Jimmy's inherent naivety. Sharing his father's principles, Jimmy comes to believe that being in the company of wealthy Frenchmen will be quite beneficial and, to some extent, stimulating. Although the men are merely “acquaintances” (43) of Jimmy, he appears to find “great pleasure in the company of someone who had seen so much of the world and was reputed to own some of the grandest hotels in France” (43) . The criterion for choosing Jimmy's companions is strictly based on socioeconomic position, effectively alluding to his superficial character. Furthermore, Jimmy does not focus his energies on significant issues such as education since he “did not study very seriously and took bad courses” (43), but rather focuses on presenting a seemingly noble image to the general public. Jimmy's concerns appear to be primarily focused on who he is seen with in public, further clarifying his insecurities and self-doubts. The French do not show genuine sympathy towards Jimmy but rather a strong sense of apathy towards him. Jimmy is "too excited to be truly happy" while riding in the blue car as he, predictably, feels a little unwelcome. As an uninvited guest, Jimmy travels in the blue car and often has to “strain forward to catch the quick phrase” (44) to hear the “light words” (44) of the French. Jimmy's membership in the exclusive group is actually false and the men simply tolerate Jimmy because he has made a significant investment in the Segouin automobile plant. Furthermore, Jimmy's choice to give a speech, despite being well received by his classmates, underlines his foolishness and disillusionment. Jimmy “must have [prepared] a good speech” (47-48), but in reality he can't even remember what he talked about because he's miserably drunk. Jimmy's shameful condition further contributes to his portrayal of a foolish, drunken individual attempting to impress his "audience" and gain approval. Jimmy eventually realizes the pointlessness of his situation but simply ignores it. Having drunk a considerable amount, Jimmy is unable to sensibly engage in a game of cards. However, he refuses to let his condition stop him from gambling and ultimately "knew he would regret it in the morning, but for now he was content with the rest" (48). Although Jimmy has lost a large sum of money, he attempts to hide the situation and ignore it, essentially denying the inevitability of shame in his eternal pursuit of wealth and acceptance. The irony of the situation,..

Topic > Jimmy Doyle in James Joyce's "After The Race" be accepted by a group of wealthy men. His constant desire to present himself as an aristocrat, one who is constantly in the company of elite individuals, undermines his ability to reason and make sound judgments. This weakness is mainly exemplified by his reckless gambling and drunken talk. Jimmy's obsession with advancing his social status leads to his death as he ultimately finds himself in a state of desolation and poverty. The disloyalty of Jimmy's so-called friends further accentuates the malevolence of greed as the French seem to accept Jimmy simply for his investment in the auto industry. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Jimmy's father's success furthers Jimmy's desire to improve his social status as much as it highlights Jimmy's inherent naivety. Sharing his father's principles, Jimmy comes to believe that being in the company of wealthy Frenchmen will be quite beneficial and, to some extent, stimulating. Although the men are merely “acquaintances” (43) of Jimmy, he appears to find “great pleasure in the company of someone who had seen so much of the world and was reputed to own some of the grandest hotels in France” (43) . The criterion for choosing Jimmy's companions is strictly based on socioeconomic position, effectively alluding to his superficial character. Furthermore, Jimmy does not focus his energies on significant issues such as education since he “did not study very seriously and took bad courses” (43), but rather focuses on presenting a seemingly noble image to the general public. Jimmy's concerns appear to be primarily focused on who he is seen with in public, further clarifying his insecurities and self-doubts. The French do not show genuine sympathy towards Jimmy but rather a strong sense of apathy towards him. Jimmy is "too excited to be truly happy" while riding in the blue car as he, predictably, feels a little unwelcome. As an uninvited guest, Jimmy travels in the blue car and often has to “strain forward to catch the quick phrase” (44) to hear the “light words” (44) of the French. Jimmy's membership in the exclusive group is actually false and the men simply tolerate Jimmy because he has made a significant investment in the Segouin automobile plant. Furthermore, Jimmy's choice to give a speech, despite being well received by his classmates, underlines his foolishness and disillusionment. Jimmy “must have [prepared] a good speech” (47-48), but in reality he can't even remember what he talked about because he's miserably drunk. Jimmy's shameful condition further contributes to his portrayal of a foolish, drunken individual attempting to impress his "audience" and gain approval. Jimmy eventually realizes the pointlessness of his situation but simply ignores it. Having drunk a considerable amount, Jimmy is unable to sensibly engage in a game of cards. However, he refuses to let his condition stop him from gambling and ultimately "knew he would regret it in the morning, but for now he was content with the rest" (48). Although Jimmy has lost a large sum of money, he attempts to hide the situation and ignore it, essentially denying the inevitability of shame in his eternal pursuit of wealth and acceptance. The irony of the situation,..