Chapter – 21

The Boarding House

James Joyce

Summary of the story

“The Boarding House” is a place where people are given a room and food for a small amount of money. This is a story about Mrs. Mooney and Polly. Polly is having a love affair with Mr. Doran, one of the customers, who lives at the boarding house.

Mrs. Mooney was a butcher’s daughter. She married a man, who worked for her father but after her father’s death, her husband started drinking and spent all their money. One night, he ran after her with a large knife and she had to sleep in a neighbor’s house. So Mrs. Mooney left her husband, sold the butcher’s shop and started a boarding house.

Tourists came to stay and sometimes musicians but most of the visitors were workers from the city. Polly Mooney her daughter worked at the boarding house and sang with them. Her mother gave her housework to do so that she could meet the young men. She enjoyed talking to them but Mrs. Money knew that none of them were serious. She noticed something between Polly and one of the young men called Mr. Doran.

Polly knew that her mother was watching and she understood why her mother stayed silent. People in the house began to talk but Mrs. Mooney did nothing. Then, at last, she made a decision. They (Mrs. Mooney and Polly) had a conversation and both of them were open in their questions and answers. She wanted her daughter to marry Mr. Doran. He was 34/35 years of age and had taken advantage of her youth and inexperience. So, he must pay for his enjoyment but money was not enough, they must get married.

Mr. Doran didn’t want to marry Polly. He preferred to be free. He thinks that his family wouldn’t like Polly. She was not educated and didn’t speak English correctly. But he knew that if he didn’t marry Polly, he would have to lose his job and have to run away. Mrs. Mooney talked to Mr. Doran, we (readers) don’t know what they said to each other but we can guess that Mrs. Mooney told to Mr. Doran to marry her daughter and he agreed. While they were talking Polly dreamed about her future.