SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES ON INTERIOR MONOLOGUE

Molly Bloom, as she dozes, in James Joyce's Ulysses

The day I got him to propose to me yes first I gave him the bit of seedcake out of my mouth and
it was a leapyear like now yes it was 16 years ago my God after that long kiss I near lost my
breath yes he said I was a flower of the mountain yes so we are all flowers all a womans body yes
that one true thing he said in his life and the sun shines for you today yes that was why I liked
him because I saw he understood or felt what a woman is and I knew I could always get round him
and I have him all the pleasure I could leading him on till he asked me to say yes and I wouldn't
answer first only looked out over the sea and the sky I was thinking of so many things he didn't
know of Mulvey and Mr Stanhope and Hester and father and old captain Groves.

Answer the following questions:

1) How has James Joyce tried to suggest the texture of thought?

As punctuation exists solely to mirror the use of speech, the lack of punctuation in a written text is
highly distinctive, reflecting a rhythm to show the mind working quickly, passing on form one thought to
another. In place of punctuation it is the word “yes” which links the thoughts together, reflecting
conviction and producing an almost hypnotic effect on the reader. In addition, a lack of conjunctions,
which typically express the relationships between ideas, contributes to blurring the distinction between
thought, recollections, and speech. However, the overuse of 'and' reflects the numerous, unplanned
additions we may make to speech as we think.

2) What insights does this narrative approach give us into the character of Molly Bloom?

Molly Bloom is romantic and sensual, reflecting on the day her partner asked her to marry him with fond
memories. She shows great femininity in her metaphor of a woman being a flower. Her talk of pleasure
reflects her passion. However, she takes pleasure in manipulating her lover into saying what she wants
to hear. At the same time she is pensive, a little distant thinking at the same time about other concerns.

3) Now imagine that Molly is the author, narrating her story in first person. Rewrite the passage.

I remember the day I got him to propose to me as if it was yesterday. It was a leap year like now, only 16
years ago. I gave him the bit of seedcake out of my mouth and we kissed. The amazing kiss was so long I
near lost my breath. He said that I was a flower of the mountain and that the sun was shining especially
for me that day, the one true thing he said in his life, after all, we women are all flowers, our whole

Nicholas John Lyons. Academia Lince 2014-2015.

body is a flower. I liked him because he understood or felt what a woman is. At the same time I knew
that I could always get round him. I took pleasure in leading him until he asked me to say yes. I wouldn't
answer first, instead only looking out over the sea and the sky, thinking of so many things he didn't know
of, like Mulvey, Mr Stanhope, Hester, father and old captain Groves.

Nicholas John Lyons. Academia Lince 2014-2015.