Ivy Day in the Committee Room

Why is the brief encounter with Father Keon, the “black sheep,” included in the story? What political alignment does his character represent?

How does Joyce utilize humor when his characters are discussing politics? Does it diffuse the tension or distract from the problem at hand?

Who would you cast your vote for, Mr. Tierney or Colgan, and why?

There are three characters in the story who do not have handles before their names: Old Jack, Colgan, and the delivery boy. What do these three characters have in common? Why are they designated as different from the rest of the characters?

Did you know that the people of Ireland have their own native language? What purpose does the inclusion of the Irish language in the story serve to highlight the anticolonial nature of the piece?

For those unfamiliar with Irish and British history, does Joyce provide enough context within the story, or is further research necessary to properly understand the story’s themes?

Analyze the order in which Joyce introduces the characters, and with their respective political views in mind, discuss the rhetorical effectiveness of this order.

How does Joyce’s unique dialogue formatting effect how the dialogue is read? Why does he make this literary choice?