Symbols and symbolic language in The Sisters by James Joyce

James Joyce is not so much a writer as he is a painter of words. His works appear simplistic at first glance, but under scrutiny they reveal the inner world of a character and the reality of the common man through symbols, metaphors, and sensory analysis. Something as simple as "...the sunny side of the street..." can open a whole new door to one of Joyce's plots. For instance, his short story "The Sisters" in the collection The Dubliners appears to be and innocent and unassuming account through the eyes of a nameless boy of his dealings with the life and death of his friend and informal t…