The city of Dublin posing as the scene of paralysis in Dubliners by James Joyce is extremely relevant when discussing the story “The Boarding House.” Paralysis takes the form of many different monsters throughout the compiled stories in this book. The definition of paralysis can be seen as the inability to move in part or most of the body. However, Joyce allows this faction to occur in many different forms. For example, while Mr. Doran is not in a physical state of paralysis he is trapped due to the decisions he made and the possible consequences. Joyce depicts the internal conflict of 

In “The Boarding House,” there are many forms of paralysis present. First and foremost, Mrs. Mooney was an ultimate schemer with a poor life. Mrs. Mooney was disappointed in Polly’s decision to marry lesser than her, parallel to the life that Mrs. Mooney lived. Due to the societal implications of the period, it was illegal to divorce. Therefore, Polly was paralyzed in her decision to marry a man who could not provide, ultimately causing her to start making poor decisions. She was stuck in the sense that she would not be able to attain the love and financial wealth of her current husband, so she is “stuck” with deciding to stay around the boarding house. However, this is not as much of Polly’s true emotions as much as her mother’s. The text states, “Besides, young men like to feel that there is a young man not very far away,” (48). The connotation of this piece of text suggests that Mrs. Mooney understands that it is not the morally correct option but she is not opposed to it due to her personal relation to the issue at hand. 

Mr. Doran and Polly end up having an affair and Mrs. Mooney is adamant that they must get married. Eventually, Mr. Doran understands the mistakes that he made. He realizes that he has no other choice but to marry her when he takes into account that Polly’s brother has physical power over him, that his family will not approve of Polly, her reputation in the town, her age, her father, and many more aspects that make her unsuitable as Mr. Doran’s wife. However, Mrs. Mooney finds it a vital point that Polly and Mr. Doran get married. To illustrate this idea further, “She wanted to relight her candle at his for hers had been blown out by a gust,” (52). Both Polly and Mr. Dorian understand that the decisions they had made were to be punished. However, Mr. Dorian was unaware of what his current actions would mean long term. Perhaps Polly was more longing for this feeling than is accused. As the story progresses, inevitably, Mrs. Mooney does not want her mistakes to reflect upon the course of events for her daughter. Therefore, she essentially forces Mr. Doran to marry Polly, and if he said no Jack would go bonkers. 

Now, I just have to bring my girl Emily into this because one of my favorite poems that she has ever written is about paralysis. Which I thought might be fitting due to the entire prompt of this assignment being… paralysis.

In poem 1046, “I’ve Dropped My Brain – my soul is numb-,” she addresses a feeling of paralysis due to an outside emotion. In this poem, Emily states, “My Nerve in Marble Lies- / A Breathing woman / Yesterday – Endowed with Paradise.” This quote shows that every action she once did in the flesh is not engraved in stone, an irreplaceable and unchangeable action. In one moment she is independent and free, and the next moment she is chained down by the consequences of her actions. While in the moment of action, she is breathing her air, “endowed with paradise.” It is not until she is forced to consider the outcome of the actions that she realizes her freedom is cut short. 

This relates directly back to the dilemma Mr. Doran must face. At the moment he was unaware of just how drastically these actions would change the course of his life. Yet post affair, Mrs. Mooney causes him to understand just what he must do to make it right. Not just by her, but by the societal implications as well as the church. Joyce states, “Come on down, dear. Mr. Doran wants to speak to you. Then she remembered what she had been waiting for,” (54). This quote demonstrates that Mr. Doran has finally come to terms with the marriage he must commit to. After all of the pining and difficult emotions he must deal with, he realizes that he is paralyzed in a state in which he truly has no choice in his further actions. Dickinson relates to this emotion when she depicts that she was once a free woman and then she was paralyzed. 

Ultimately, paralysis is depicted in many different ways within Dubliners, however, in “The Boarding House,” it is prevalent that paralysis can be an outcome of one’s own actions.