The Characterization of Maria in Clay

潘清玉

Abstract： The image of Maria from Clay written by James Joyce is successfully portrayed to reveal the theme. The paper will analyze the characterization from the aspects of appearance， behaviors and symbolization.

Key Words： Characterization； Clay； Maria

Clay is selected from James Joyces Dubliners. The fifteen stories in Dubliners share a common theme： kind of “paralysis” mental state permeates in the whole Dublin. In Clay， the theme is achieved through the depiction of Marias life—virtually a failure， like a piece of clay living in the dilemma between life and death. It happens in the Hallow Eve between eighteen oclock and six oclock on the next morning. She buys some presents and spends the Eve with Joes family together. The linear plot is simple， but the protagonist is successfully portrayed through details to reveal the theme.

Maria is characterized by her appearance， language and behavior. Firstly， she is minute in stature and frugal in finance but her passion for self-appreciation does not recede. But she has quaint affection at the diminutive body and would adorn the tidy body， suggesting her egocentricity. Secondly， she is a spinster and shows others that she is accustomed to the single life， but she longs for love and family. She countered a stout gentleman and is so attracted by him that she forgets the most important plum cake on the train. There is the distinct contrast between suppressed inner desire for males attention and the subconsciously exterior action toward the old gentleman.

Her characterization can be embodied by the appraise and other attitude from the minor characters. Firstly， All acquaintance praise Maria as a “veritable peacemaker”. Maria has nursed Joe and Alphy who do not get along with each other. Maria try to rebuild the relation， even in the Halloween Eve. But the irony is that Maria， the peacemaker， fails to make peace for the most intimate persons. Secondly， Maria is a good and vital person in acquaintances eye， but unimportant in strangers eye. While she is buying cake， the female shopkeeper throws cold words on her. Thirdly， Joe pays special attention towards Maria. Joe often says “Mamma is mamma but Maria is my proper mother”. When Maria feels embarrassed owing to cake， he tries to alternate her attention by joking about his manager. But the notion could be inferred： the more Joe take care of Maria， the more he feels sympathetic for her， the more desolate Maria is. But Maria is oblivious about her situation.

Symbol is the most vital device for the characterization in Clay. The name and the appearance of Maria are symbols and so is the title Clay. The fact that Maria does not have a family name suggests she is just sort of the most ordinary one. In the New Testament， virgin Mary is the mother of God belonging to the Catholic with many virtues. In Clay， the name Maria is the personification of Saint Mary. They bear some resemblances. They both are virgins and Catholics with virtues. The ironic difference lies that Maria is virtually a failure. She does not hold the same high status as Saint Mary， because she is paralyzed and she cant control her fate. Her appearance symbolizes the western witch. The phrase “the tip of her nose nearly met the tip of her chin” repeats for several times. Its the typical depiction of a witch. Maria with a her nose nearly meeting the tip of her chin （like a witch） roams outside in the Eve is just like a ghost wondering in the Eve， suggesting her and the kind. Clay has rich symbolic meanings. In the Genesis， God creates human beings with clay. In the traditional Irish Halloween game， the three objects （ring， prayer book and clay） symbolize marriage， convent and death respectively. Maria gets the clay in the game. But she does not realize what she fumbles， she just feels it “a soft wet substance with her fingers”. It suggests the author feels sorry for her oblivion （kind of paralysis） and the tragic indication of death.

With the depiction of Marias appearance， language and behavior， the subplot of minor characters and the application of symbolism， James Joyce succeeded in portraying Maria. She is oblivious about her whole life and live meaningless every day. This is identical with the theme of Dubliners---paralysis of faith. It reflects James Joyces sympathy towards Maria and desperation towards Irish people. It is the same as his motivation to write Dubliners， “have a good look at the so-called city， and you will find its actually kind of paralyzed or sick soul”.

Works Cited：

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5th ed. Beijing： Peking University Press，2006.121-24.

Zhongzhi Yan. An Introduction to Literary Criticism. Sichuan： Sichuan International

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Zhou Dingzhi， A Comparative Study of Joyces Clay and Mansfields Miss Brill. Vol29

No.4. Beijing： Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages， 2006.