“Paula Spencer” by Roddy Doyle Essay

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Introduction

The book Paula Spencer written by Roddy Doyle is considered to be a biographical masterpiece of world literature reflecting problematic aspects of human life. The author managed to depict life transformations and changes influencing the formation of a person’s inner world and perception of the environment. The story describes the woman’s life through such significant aspects as family values and cultural development playing an important role in Paula’s experience and life stages she went through.

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Paula Spencer’s life changes

Doyle managed to describe major changes Paula Spencer experienced through her life; the author tried to reflect on the tragic challenges suffering by the person and which impacted her family life and social stability. It is important to underline the fact that the author described the woman being a mother and alcoholic whose harmful way of life influenced the future of her family and her personal attitude to people. The woman managed to go through a lot of difficulties and sorrow experienced in Irish society.

Doyle managed to stress the strong character of the woman who perceived the environment differently from others; she seemed to be ready for changes that constantly awaited her destiny.

“…the woman never gets over the terror of having no money, the prison of having nothing. Putting thing back up on supermarket shelves because the tenner in her pocket turned out to be a fever”. (Doyle, 2006).

Getting rid of alcoholism abuse, Paula managed to live a family life with her husband and children. The author describes Paula’s life a year after leaving her family, her thief husband, Charlo. Paula’s life appeared to be full of unpleasant surprises and sorrow following every step of her existence. The news about her husband’s death being killed in a bank robbery made her dive into the depth of living with the man whom she feared and loved at the same time.

The author tried to demonstrate the interference of Irish cultural society with the woman’s destiny. Paula Spencer appeared to be the example of Ireland changing becoming a member of the Eurozone reflecting the features of Eastern European society. The author shows how the woman who went through life tragedy managed to rebuild her “personal environment” and change her attitude to society, family, and the whole world.

The most prominent change was observed in Paula’s attitude to her children and culture. She comes to the conclusion that everything can be broken and people are to evaluate every moment of their life. The woman tried to expand her feelings to close people expressing more love to the children and establishing contact with her sisters. It is interesting to note that the woman, who neglected everything at the early stages of her life, began to appreciate cultural values; the woman is interested in Italian food and different styles of music making her inner world wealthy and interesting.

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“She is new-old woman learning how to live” (Doyle, 2006)

The life of Paula Spencer can be analyzed from two different angles called “before” and “after”; and it is really so… The woman was described as the reflection of two different people, one of which is irresponsible and ignorant, while the other is intelligent, happy and full of love and energy.

The author managed to show how Paula transformed her values and vision on life, beginning evaluating every moment she lives and appreciating people who surround her and support her. Paula Spencer went the difficult path of self-realization and only in older age came the sense of her existence.

It should be stressed that the author depicted how a woman being ignorant to her family, managed to become a model mother to her children, though they have already grown up. Nevertheless, it should be noted that it is never too late to correct one’s mistakes, especially when the person came to the realization of the true sense of her life.

It is necessary to highlight the idea that Doyle depicted a strong-willed and resistant woman who, despite all sorrow and tricks of destiny, managed to overcome everything, even herself, and became a true mother for her children and a close person to her relatives.

Conclusion

Paula Spencer appeared to be one of the most significant works written by Roddy Doyle; this story is a real masterpiece of the literature world highlighting the principle values of humanity. The author provided a hope… a hope for those who feel about living in sorrow and having nobody and nothing. Doyle managed to describe the path leading to self-realization which can be experienced by everyone; the only thing to value is the desire to live in harmony with family and the whole world. Only in this case, the world gives back respect and happiness!

References

Doyle, Roddy. Paula Spencer. Viking Adult Publ., 2006.

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IvyPanda. (2021) '"Paula Spencer" by Roddy Doyle'. 31 October.

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IvyPanda. 2021. ""Paula Spencer" by Roddy Doyle." October 31, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paula-spencer-by-roddy-doyle/.

1. IvyPanda. ""Paula Spencer" by Roddy Doyle." October 31, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paula-spencer-by-roddy-doyle/.


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IvyPanda. ""Paula Spencer" by Roddy Doyle." October 31, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paula-spencer-by-roddy-doyle/.

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