Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy

Roddy Doyle is one of the authors who has best understood that human existence is an interplay between comedy and tragedy. From his very first novel he has shown that it is possible to deal with the most difficult and harsh situations in a comic way without trivializing them. In spite of the cruel r...

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Main Author: Aída Díaz-Bild
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Asociación Española de Estudios Irlandeses 2012-03-01
Series:Estudios Irlandeses
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Aida_Diaz-Bild_7.pdf
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author_facet Aída Díaz-Bild
author_sort Aída Díaz-Bild
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description Roddy Doyle is one of the authors who has best understood that human existence is an interplay between comedy and tragedy. From his very first novel he has shown that it is possible to deal with the most difficult and harsh situations in a comic way without trivializing them. In spite of the cruel realities being portrayed in his novels, especially after the Barrytown trilogy, hope shines through the clouds of pain. InPaula Spencer (2007), the sequel to The Woman Who Walked into Doors (1996), characters face alcoholism, drug addiction, illness, violence, etc. but the introduction of the comic element or vision prevents melodrama and sentimentalism from entering the novel. Laughter allows Paula to face and transcend her loneliness, her physical and moral pain, her constant need for a drink or, in other words, all those aspects of her life that threaten to crush her. In fact, she has attained the highest level of humour, which is defined by love and compassion.
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spelling doaj.art-eca68ea6902f4f60b4b8f45862bdb9ef2022-12-22T00:55:32ZengAsociación Española de Estudios IrlandesesEstudios Irlandeses1699-311X1699-311X2012-03-017719321796Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into JoyAída Díaz-Bild0 University of La Laguna, Spain Roddy Doyle is one of the authors who has best understood that human existence is an interplay between comedy and tragedy. From his very first novel he has shown that it is possible to deal with the most difficult and harsh situations in a comic way without trivializing them. In spite of the cruel realities being portrayed in his novels, especially after the Barrytown trilogy, hope shines through the clouds of pain. InPaula Spencer (2007), the sequel to The Woman Who Walked into Doors (1996), characters face alcoholism, drug addiction, illness, violence, etc. but the introduction of the comic element or vision prevents melodrama and sentimentalism from entering the novel. Laughter allows Paula to face and transcend her loneliness, her physical and moral pain, her constant need for a drink or, in other words, all those aspects of her life that threaten to crush her. In fact, she has attained the highest level of humour, which is defined by love and compassion.http://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Aida_Diaz-Bild_7.pdfRoddy DoylePaula SpencerHumourComedyOrdinary lifeTranscendenceCompassionContradictionsSurvival
spellingShingle Aída Díaz-Bild
Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy
Estudios Irlandeses
Roddy Doyle
Paula Spencer
Humour
Comedy
Ordinary life
Transcendence
Compassion
Contradictions
Survival
title Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy
title_full Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy
title_fullStr Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy
title_full_unstemmed Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy
title_short Paula Spencer or the Miraculous Transformation of Misery into Joy
title_sort paula spencer or the miraculous transformation of misery into joy
topic Roddy Doyle
Paula Spencer
Humour
Comedy
Ordinary life
Transcendence
Compassion
Contradictions
Survival
url http://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Aida_Diaz-Bild_7.pdf
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