Sense of escape! This is a really important quote to recognize! It demonstrates Doran's obsessive longing to flee the small world of Dublin and discover what more the world has to offer! His "trouble" reveals far more than his conflicting decision to marry Polly, and instead alludes to the troublesome situations that people throughout Dublin are undergoing in their confusing political and religious circumstances. The "force" that pushed him to meet with the Madam and be put in an uncomfortable position is the harsh reality of how people throughout Ireland felt about dismissing opportunities that could be potentially life-changing.

Symbol : This personified emotion stresses what his immediate reaction told him to do. With all the negative energy and frustrating situations surrounding people in Dublin, it is acceptable to infer that he will end up marrying Polly and conforming to the sad realities of the time. This is his (probably) sad, foreseeable future that is unavoidable and an example of how a desire for escape is sadly unrealistic.

Jack - the son - was protective and violent / aggressive towards people that toyed with Polly. Will he do something similar to Doran?

SIN - Could have chosen a different word, but "sin" highlights a religious terminology equated with an individual’s failure to live up to standards of conduct or with his violation of moral codes.

Escape from fantasy and back to reality.

A London Sunday paper which combined political radicalism with scandalous stories. - This is what he was influenced by which inevitably shaped his thoughts and actions.

Emphasizing the constant need for escape throughout the Dubliners stories. Especially since it is such a small city, people like Doran, as well as the schoolboy in “An Encounter” and Eveline from "Eveline", have a strong desire to to escape the confines of Dublin.

Doran confesses to the priest! Though he believed that his immoral behavior should have consequences, he held concerns about marrying the young girl, as she was prob socially beneath him in his world. He is anxiety ridden and is conflicted about the situation.

Making Polly out to be a completely innocent, young, and oblivious girl... but is she really?

Social setting. The boarding house is open to tourists, clerks, and artists, which does not really bring a good reputation to Mrs. Mooney. Many aspects of the social setting point out to the importance of reputation in Dublin. Mrs. Mooney is sure that Mr Doran will marry her daughter because he has a reputation to uphold. If he does not marry her he will lose his honor (assuming that he was a man of honor).

Religion

Mrs. Mooney watched the two engage, but refrained from intervening until the right moment, something that Polly found strange. Probably initiating a plan so that she can correctly interpret and govern the situation at hand.

Flirtatious and lively with the young men

Yes - this IS for Polly's own good and out of her mother's protective nature, but it also demonstrates Mrs. Mooney's need to control other's lives.

still a relatively young girl

This song is known to be one that deals with sexual matters in a comical way and is humorously indecent. This might foreshadow her character as vulnerable... maybe flirty and a little racy and improper.

Term for a respected individual (can also mean a woman who runs a brothel)

Worked for herself! Built her own business!!

Re-establishing herself as a "determined woman". She did not stay with her abusive husband as many other woman would have felt obligated to do, but rather determined her own fate as an independent individual. Her single-minded attitude may foreshadow her wanting to determine the fate of her children or the people around her...

Again, Joyce is acknowledging the religious aspect of Dublin at the time where most people were Catholic. Many ordinary people who were struggling with new adjustments in Ireland tended to rely on Priests as either an outlet or a use of reparation.

Not only was Mr. Mooney a DRUNK, but he was VIOLENT. He had no sense of boundaries and was physically aggressive.

Self destruction and did not think about caring for his family! Irresponsible father and husband.

So hopeless that there was no use in making him swear not to drink alcohol... emphasizing his thoughtless lifestyle.

Mr. Mooney began to go to the devil in the sense that he was a drunk, careless man who did not think about the inevitable consequences of his irresponsible and reckless actions.

Devil might be relating to the religious aspect of the stories. This foreshadows Mr. Mooney's either demise or devil-like qualities.