Joyce, An Encounter

Question 1

‘He gave me the impression…’

Answer 1

‘He gave me the impression that he was repeating something which he had learned by heart’

P.16

Question 2

‘Magnetised by some…’

Answer 2

‘Magnetised by some words of his own speech, his mind slowly circling round and round in the same orbit’

P.16

Question 3

‘He repeated his…’

Answer 3

‘He repeated his phrases over and over again’

P.16

Question 4

How does Joe Dillon describe the mans voice?

Answer 4

‘His monotonous voice’

P.16

Question 5

Why does Mahoney leave Dillon with the man?

Answer 5

He chases a cat across the open field and ‘desisting from this’ he begins to ‘wander about the far end of the field, aimlessly’

P.17

Question 6

What causes subject causes the man to become transfixed on his own speech? Give a quote describing the repetition of his monologue

Answer 6

He sees Mahoney chasing the cat and concludes that Mahoney is an indisciplined boy who should be whipped. He begins a monologue on the subject of chastising boys

‘His mind, as if magnetised again by his speech, seemed to circle slowly round and round it’s new centre’

P.17