It's enough to make anyone angry, but Farrington simply bursts. A girl doesn't return his desiring gaze, he loses an arm-wrestling match, he spends all his money, and dinner isn't ready when he gets home. Watch how things just get worse and worse for Farrington, and how his reactions get more and more extreme. Sure, he'll tell a few bragging stories and be chummy, but we get a sense that Farrington won't be satisfied by a little evening hang out with his pals: he needs something wilder to happen. From the start, Farrington intends to 'rush out and revel in violence' (Counterparts.32). First of all, he's not a really happy drunk like Freddy Malins (from 'The Dead'), and that's a big bummer. If work causes Farrington's drinking (at least to some extent), what are the effects of his excess? Well, they aren't good. Just like Little Chandler, some of Farrington's frustration begins, just like his story, in a depressing work environment. In some ways, it's no wonder that Farrington devises schemes to escape the office and daydreams about extreme actions in order to get some relief. He orders Farrington around, yells and screams at him, and can't even laugh at his unexpected joke.

Of course, it's important to remember that Farrington's boss has none of the silly, endearing foolishness of Michael Scott. And you thought the Internet was distracting. If he's not thinking about getting a drink right now, he's worried about having enough money to drink a whole lot later and get in some trouble: 'The barometer of his emotional nature was set for a spell of riot' (Counterparts.32). In fact, drinking takes up a lot of Farrington's mental energy. He can't focus on his work, because all he can focus on is getting a drink. It's bad because of his boss, and it's even worse because of his own habits. The first pages of 'Counterparts' describe the oppressive work environment Farrington faces every day. He's a terrible employee, an unhappy drunk, and a violent father. The fact that this guy not only has drinking buddies, but a wife and kids may sound really surprising, because what we read about Farrington on the day this story takes place makes him sound like a monster. Allow us to introduce you to one of the least likable characters in all of Dubliners.

Counterparts james joyce