Dubliners

Dubliners Summary | "The Sisters" Summary

The Dubliners is a collection of short stories that provides snapshots of life in Dublin in the early part of the twentieth century. The stories focus on particular problems of Irish national identity and social issues within Ireland during this period of time. Families form and friendships develop alongside religious turmoil and restrictions, with the ultimate lesson being that the actions of common people are often meaningless and prescribed by social conventions rather than individual thought.

A young boy whose family priest, Father Flynn, has just died offers his perspective on the events leading up to the priest's funeral. After listening to the adults in his life discuss the death of the priest and the funeral arrangements, the boy thinks over his own relationship with the priest. He remembers all that the priest has taught him about religion, history, and more. He also recalls how Father Flynn had become increasingly weak and careless in the months leading up to his death.

The next morning, the boy goes to Father Flynn's house and sees the death notice on the door but does not enter. That evening, his aunt takes him to view the body. The coffin is in the bedroom and the boy, his aunt, and the Father Flynn's two sisters pray over it. Then the adults sit around talking about Father Flynn's illnesses and personal habits.

One sister, Eliza, recounts her brother's unfulfilled dream of driving out to see their childhood home before he died. The two sisters also tell of when the neighborhood began to have suspicions that something was wrong with Father Flynn. He had accidentally broken a chalice in church. He was once found sitting alone in the chapel in the dark laughing to himself.