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What is a boarding house?
A boarding house is a house in which lodgers can rent rooms for extended periods of weeks, months, and years. Rooms could also often be rented on a nightly basis like a hotel.
Why do Mr. Doran and Polly need to get married?
While it is never explicitly stated, it’s implied that Mr. Doran and Polly need to get married because they had sex outside of marriage which could compromise Polly’s reputation.
What do the bed and pillows represent in “The Boarding House”?
Polly sits on Mr. Doran’s bed while she waits for him and Mrs. Mooney to finish their meeting. As she does so, Joyce writes that Polly “regarded the pillows for a long time and the sight of them awakened in her mind secret amiable memories.” Joyce’s emphasis on Mr. Doran’s bed and pillows alludes to his and Polly’s amorous affair.
What is an artiste?
Mrs. Mooney refers to musicians as “artistes,” or professional entertainers. The artistes in question are some of Mrs. Mooney’s boarders.
Why is Polly not included in the meeting between Mrs. Mooney and Mr. Doran?
Joyce excludes Polly from the meeting in which the pair discuss Mr. Doran and Polly’s hypothetical marriage to emphasize that Polly has never been in control of the situation and has, instead, been used as a pawn by both her lover and her mother.
