James Joyce's A Mother is a short story based on the life of Mrs. Kearney, a strong-willed woman whose violation of convention results in the destruction of her famous reputation. . Joyce's linguistic use of naturalism, modernism, and feminism illustrates the "paralysis"[1] of Dublin's rigid societal conventions. It further reiterates the gender divisions that existed. The abstract use of language offers the reader different interpretations of the story without revealing Joyce's intended meaning. However, it also adds a layer of complexity for readers when analyzing simple interactions between characters or trying to understand the characters themselves. Despite this, it is clear that Joyce's use of the above linguistic styles is effective in appropriating the reader's interpretation of the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Joyce's use of modernist techniques means that the language used is never absolute. It aims to deconstruct previous writing styles, by manipulating the normal narrative structures of stories. This means that the reader cannot make an immediate judgment about Mrs. Kearney until the end of the story. For example, Mrs. Kearney is initially described as a “Lady” – a title that connotes respect and good manners. Thanks to this title, she frees herself from the constraints imposed on other women and offers herself privileges such as the organization of a talent show. Yet, to obtain these privileges, it seems that Mrs. Kearney had to succumb to the patriarchal society of the time by marrying. Joyce describes this action as “silence them [society] by getting married.” The use of such language makes it difficult for the reader to determine whether Mrs. Kearney is repressed in her identity as a woman or whether she has gained greater freedom in society through marriage. In helping the reader form a balanced judgment about Mrs. Kearney, Joyce provides various examples for each of the roles above. In a way, Mrs. Kearney has found herself trapped in her role as “mother”: she can no longer achieve her dreams and must live vicariously through her daughter. In another way, perhaps one could infer that she has been freed, as she is able to play a more active role in society while commanding the respect of the Committee (at first). This contrasts with the character Polly in The Boarding House, who is assigned only one identity by her mother and Mr. Doran – a simple sex object – because she is a woman. Unlike Mrs. Kearney, Polly does not have an option of “rights” and therefore submits to societal conventions. However, Joyce shows Mrs. Kearney as obsessed with "demanding [her] rights", so her passive-aggressive behavior ultimately leads to her downfall. Indeed, her unyielding nature and desire to achieve even small triumphs can be seen when she is in despair. orders Mr. Holohan “I’m not done with you yet.” However, her attempt to free herself from the chains of female repression leads to her being described as a person without "decency". This is similar to Clay's story, where the character, Maria, disregards reality to appreciate the small (but meaningful) aspects of life. As such, what Joyce depicts is a woman who is unaware of how limited her rights as a woman are. Although Mrs. Kearney claims rights because she is a "Lady", she ultimately finds herself trapped in the sexist social order that has existed in Dublin for centuries. It is this contradictory vision of Ms. Kearney, both aggressive and vulnerable, that makes