We read till " My native land, goodnight." (Penguin 491.3), (Gabler 13.1080)
After his excitement, when his fireworks went up like a rocket, down like a stick, Bloom's thoughts revolve round the three girls, particularly around Gerty. He is a bit disappointed that Gerty did not turn back as she went down to the strand (Wouldn't give that satisfaction.) He also thinks of women in general, wondering how they have eyes all over them. (Sharp as needles they are.). His observation of Molly, Milly, and even of that typist going up Roger Green's stairs substantiate his opinion of women, making him wonder kind of intuition is handed down from father to, from mother to daughter, he means.
For Bloom this interlude on the beach has come as big relief after the happenings of the day (Dignam's funeral, the altercation in Kiernen's pub).
Meanwhile the firework display is going on. And Gerty looks back. As if to tell him, "Darling, I saw, your. I saw all." In fact Bloom is not even sure of her name, even though he heard her being called, 'Gerty'. After all he himself uses a 'false' name - Henry Flower - and address in his correspondence with Martha Clifford!
Bloom has sympathy about women and their role in the society. (“they settle down to potwalloping and papa’s pants will soon fit Willy and fuller’s earth for the baby when they hold him out to do ah ah”) Thinking of babies, he thinks of visitng Mrs Purefoy, (confusing at firs, in typical Bloom fashion, the name to be Mrs Beaufoy, Mr. Beaufoy being the one who wrote that story in the newspaper, earning a guinea per column), who is in the hospital, about to give birth. This thought leads him on to other thoughts about other women, their unsuitable husbands (Marry in May, repent in December).
His wetness reminds him of Boylan, of what could be happening at home, to whether his wrist watch had stopped at that exact time when Boylan was with Molly. Is their magnetic influence between the person... Bloom to think of physical laws, and typical of him, gets confused between magnetic and gravitational forces.
The scent of a whiff of a perfume, which Gerty had used, makes Bloom think of how smell is carried over. Why did he smell it only now? Would the strong smell from the spice islands, like Ceylon (he had seen Ceylon tea in a shop window that morning), be carried long distances? And Molly's perfume that clings to everything she takes off. Bloom thinks of smell that is typical of women and and men. Of mansmell. Of priests not having that mansmell. Source of life. How does that smell? Like celery sauce. To find out, Bloom puts his own nose in the opening of his waistcoat, thinks he smells almonds, and then recognizes that the smell is from the lemon soap he had bought that morning.
Thus the thoughts turn to the pharmacy he had visited that morning, of the lotion for Molly which he should have picked up later in the day, of his not having paid for the soap.
And so on....
Reading these pages we feel that we are inhabiting Bloom's mind, witnessing his thoughts that run helter skelter, jumping from one topic to the next. Like a stream bubbling and dancing. On its way to a bigger river.
Note: This post comes from the Dubai airport. Next week, the blog entries will be minimal, giving just page and line reference, as neither of us are around. The week after next, Sabrina will look after the blog. Post us comments if you'd like to keep us updated about the reading groups during our absence!
After his excitement, when his fireworks went up like a rocket, down like a stick, Bloom's thoughts revolve round the three girls, particularly around Gerty. He is a bit disappointed that Gerty did not turn back as she went down to the strand (Wouldn't give that satisfaction.) He also thinks of women in general, wondering how they have eyes all over them. (Sharp as needles they are.). His observation of Molly, Milly, and even of that typist going up Roger Green's stairs substantiate his opinion of women, making him wonder kind of intuition is handed down from father to, from mother to daughter, he means.
For Bloom this interlude on the beach has come as big relief after the happenings of the day (Dignam's funeral, the altercation in Kiernen's pub).
Meanwhile the firework display is going on. And Gerty looks back. As if to tell him, "Darling, I saw, your. I saw all." In fact Bloom is not even sure of her name, even though he heard her being called, 'Gerty'. After all he himself uses a 'false' name - Henry Flower - and address in his correspondence with Martha Clifford!
Bloom has sympathy about women and their role in the society. (“they settle down to potwalloping and papa’s pants will soon fit Willy and fuller’s earth for the baby when they hold him out to do ah ah”) Thinking of babies, he thinks of visitng Mrs Purefoy, (confusing at firs, in typical Bloom fashion, the name to be Mrs Beaufoy, Mr. Beaufoy being the one who wrote that story in the newspaper, earning a guinea per column), who is in the hospital, about to give birth. This thought leads him on to other thoughts about other women, their unsuitable husbands (Marry in May, repent in December).
His wetness reminds him of Boylan, of what could be happening at home, to whether his wrist watch had stopped at that exact time when Boylan was with Molly. Is their magnetic influence between the person... Bloom to think of physical laws, and typical of him, gets confused between magnetic and gravitational forces.
The scent of a whiff of a perfume, which Gerty had used, makes Bloom think of how smell is carried over. Why did he smell it only now? Would the strong smell from the spice islands, like Ceylon (he had seen Ceylon tea in a shop window that morning), be carried long distances? And Molly's perfume that clings to everything she takes off. Bloom thinks of smell that is typical of women and and men. Of mansmell. Of priests not having that mansmell. Source of life. How does that smell? Like celery sauce. To find out, Bloom puts his own nose in the opening of his waistcoat, thinks he smells almonds, and then recognizes that the smell is from the lemon soap he had bought that morning.
Thus the thoughts turn to the pharmacy he had visited that morning, of the lotion for Molly which he should have picked up later in the day, of his not having paid for the soap.
And so on....
Reading these pages we feel that we are inhabiting Bloom's mind, witnessing his thoughts that run helter skelter, jumping from one topic to the next. Like a stream bubbling and dancing. On its way to a bigger river.
Note: This post comes from the Dubai airport. Next week, the blog entries will be minimal, giving just page and line reference, as neither of us are around. The week after next, Sabrina will look after the blog. Post us comments if you'd like to keep us updated about the reading groups during our absence!
