The Boarding House

“MRS. MOONEY was a butcher’s daughter.”

This first line establishes both Mrs. Mooney’s character and her social class, underscoring the social connotations associated with being a butcher in Dublin at the time. Though it is a simple sentence, it is very much key to establishing the main themes of the story.

“Polly Mooney, the Madam’s daughter, would also sing. She sang: I’m a…naughty girl. You needn’t sham: You know I am.”

The song that Polly sings adds to the stereotype of her character, identifying the archetype she has fallen into as a working-class young woman. The lyrics of the music-hall song are deliberately provocative, underlining Polly’s flirtatious nature. This is one of the reader’s first glimpses of Polly, establishing how she is perceived for the rest of the story.

“[B]ut Mrs. Mooney, who was a shrewd judge, knew that the young men were only passing the time away: none of them meant business.”

The syntax in this quote is helpful for both rhythm and to add a crucial detail: “none of them meant business.” This section demonstrates that Mrs. Mooney keenly observes her daughter’s suitors, ready to facilitate an advantageous marriage.