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MASKS by Carmel Codd Leen A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters In Partial fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Arts Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton May 2006 Copyright by Carmel Codd Leen 2006 ii MASKS by Carmel Codd Leen This thesis was prepared under the direction of the candidate's thesis advisor, Professor A. Papatya Bucak, Department of English, and has been approved by the members of her supervisory committee. It was submitted to the faculty of The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters and was accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: ~Q~~ Ch":~ Mem~~c· er: Dr. 1 tam A. ovmo Member: Professor Mark W. Scroggins idt College of Arts and Letters 4/T'IAA'/_/?,--+-)~- '/~ J lll ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I want to thank my son Tommy for leading me to Florida Atlantic University's Creative Writing Program, and to Professor Johnny Payne. I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the faculty and staff of the English Department of The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, particularly Rebecca T. Al-Hattab and Professor AndrewS. Furman. Special thanks go to my Supervisory Committee, Professor Papatya A. Bucak, Dr. William A. Covino, and Professor Mark W. Scroggins. Also, I wish to thank the following: Professor Johnny Payne for the generosity and skill of his teaching; Dr. David Wallace for his counseling skills; Tom Leen, my husband, for his steadfast support; Anne McGowan, my sister, for her lifelong encouragement; my fellow students, Aimee, Becky, Denise, and Patty for their friendship and enthusiasm. IV ABSTRACT Author: Carmel Codd Leen Title: Masks Institution: Florida Atlantic University Thesis Advisor: Professor A. Papatya Bucak Degree: Master of Arts Year: 2006 The story of an Irish grandfather, Brendan Doran, covers the period 1918 through 1966; the story of his granddaughter, Maisie Doyle covers the summer of her seventeenth year. Brendan's perceptions are given in the first person viewpoint; Maisie's in the third person viewpoint. A faithful following is given of Brendan's vernacular in young manhood; then, as he grows in sophisticated use of language his first-person narration reflects this. Both stories trace the psychological development of the two, leading to questions regarding the similarities and the differences between the romantic dreams of a young man and a young woman. An omniscient narrator is the narrative voice for an overview of family history, with emphasis on the family dwelling and land, Bloomlands, and on the story of Maisie's mother and father, Essie and Eddie Doran. v To my mother and father with love and gratitude TABLE OF CONTENTS P~TONE: 1918-1924 CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................. 2 CHAPTER2 ................................................................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................. 20 CHAPTER 4.................................................................................................................................. 22 CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................................. 27 CHAPTER 6.................................................................................................................................. 34 CHAPTER 7 .................................................................................................................................. 37 CHAPTER 8 .................................................................................................................................. 39 CHAPTER 9 .................................................................................................................................. 45 CHAPTER 10................................................................................................................................ 54 CHAPTER 11................................................................................................................................ 60 CHAPTER 12................................................................................................................................ 66 CHAPTER 13 ................................................................................................................................ 71 CHAPTER 14 ................................................................................................................................ 79 CHAPTER 15 ................................................................................................................................ 89 CHAPTER 16 ................................................................................................................................ 100 INTERWEAVE PROLOGUE ................................................................................................................................. 107 P~T TWO: JUNE-OCTOBER, 1965 CHAPTER 18 ................................................................................................................................ 111 CHAPTER 19 ................................................................................................................................ 117 Vl CHAPTER 20 ................................................................................................................................ 132 CHAPTER 21 ................................................................................................................................ 151 CHAPTER 22 ................................................................................................................................ 160 CHAPTER 23 ................................................................................................................................ 183 CHAPTER 24 ................................................................................................................................ 194 INTER NOS BLOOMLANDS ........................................................................................................................... 207 ESSIE AND EDDDIE ................................................................................................................... 218 PART TWO: JUNE-OCTOBER, 1965 CHAPTER 27 ................................................................................................................................ 228 CHAPTER 28 ................................................................................................................................ 235 CHAPTER 29 ................................................................................................................................ 252 CHAPTER 30 ................................................................................................................................ 275 CHAPTER 31 ................................................................................................................................ 281 CAHPTER 32 ................................................................................................................................ 289 CHAPTER 33 ................................................................................................................................ 296 CHAPTER 34 ................................................................................................................................ 301 CHAPTER 35 ................................................................................................................................ 306 CHAPTER36 ................................................................................................................................ 316 CHAPTER 37 ................................................................................................................................ 326 CHAPTER38 ................................................................................................................................ 331 CHAPTER 39 ................................................................................................................................ 335 CHAPTER40 ................................................................................................................................ 341 CHAPTER41 ................................................................................................................................ 350 CHAPTER 42 .................................................................................................366 EPILOGUE ................................................................................................................................... 375 Vll PART ONE: 1918-1924 BRENDAN CHAPTER 1 Today, the first Monday in June 1918, I saw the most beautiful girl in the world. I'm so excited I have to talk about her, but not having anyone to listen, I'm turning to these pages to tell all about it. I'm that excited, such a commotion of thinking and feeling is rushing through me, that it's bothering me to settle down in my chair. I want to keep moving about. But I'm going to make myself sit quiet here and ease into the writing of it. And just let whatever's bubbling around in my brain, in my heart, have its run. For one thing, it's grand to have this almost brand new copybook