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Darkness
The word dark or darkness is used six times throughout three different moments in “A Painful Case.” The first time that darkness is invoked occurs when Mr. Duffy is describing Mrs. Sinico’s alluring dark blue eyes. Mr. Duffy also fixates on darkness when he explains that Mrs. Sinico does not turn on the light in her cottage in the evening, causing the two of them to be bathed in darkness whenever Mr. Duffy’s visit extends into the night. Finally, the motif of darkness returns in the text’s closing moments when Mr. Duffy wanders through the park late at night as he tries to come to terms with Mr. Sinico’s untimely death.
In all of these instances, darkness represents truth and a higher form of understanding. In the first example, Mrs. Sinico’s dark eyes reveal her true nature to Mr. Duffy. In the second example, the discrete darkness liberates Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinico and encourages them to connect on an intimate and personal level. The darkness gives Mrs. Sinico the courage to act on her intrinsic desires and encourages her to reach out and touch Mr. Duffy’s cheek. Even though Mr. Duffy immediately leaves in a sexual panic, Mrs. Sinico allowed herself to be liberated by the darkness—even if Mr. Duffy could not. Finally, Mr. Duffy is judgmental and angry when he first hears of Mrs. Sinico’s death. However, as he walks through the park, he feels her presence “near him in the darkness” and he has an epiphany. Mr. Duffy’s anger melts into remorse as he realizes that he has cursed himself to a life of solitude and loneliness. In all three instances, darkness accompanies a higher form of understanding.
Descriptions of the Mundane
“A Painful Case” is filled with lengthy descriptions of the mundane. The short story opens with a detailed overview of Mr. Duffy’s impersonal and tidy house. Joyce then turns his attention to Mr. Duffy’s unremarkable appearance. Next, Joyce gives the reader an account of Mr. Duffy’s uninspiring job at the bank and a description of what he eats for lunch every single day. After the four year time jump, Joyce resumes his detailed account of Mr. Duffy’s mundane existence. He once again begins with a description of Mr. Duffy’s house and then pivots to an overview of his daily commute and what he has for dinner every night.
These repetitive, detailed sections of the text are meant to highlight Mr. Duffy’s dull existence which is regulated by routine and monotony. Restrictive routines and the repetitive, mundane details of everyday life mark the lives of Joyce’s Dubliners and trap them in circles of frustration, restraint, and stagnation. The circularity of these Dubliners’ lives effectively traps them, preventing them from being receptive to new experiences and happiness. This is the case for Mr. Duffy who is trapped in the mundane. It is important to note that this motif is only used when Mr. Duffy is without Mrs. Sinico; the first examples occur before the two of them meet and the second examples occur after Mr. Duffy ends their relationship. This is meant to highlight two separate but related things. One, Mrs. Sinico has the ability to break Mr. Duffy out of his stifling routine and two, Mr. Duffy’s obsession with his predictable life costs him a chance at love.
