The Anglo-Irish Novel, A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry was required reading in one of my courses . In my opinion, this reading was the gem of the entire course. I fell in love with the story because it was superbly written and more importantly, I could relate to the protagonist, William Dunne. For my final paper I examined the theme of knowing one’s mind and the constant struggles to establish an understanding of oneself. During the course of Dunne’s journey, we experience the torments of his struggle. On the battlefield Dunne struggles to understand his world and in that process he reflects upon his relationships beyond the battlefield. As the world becomes more complex and new unknowns are introduced, this struggle to find meaning and place, becomes the common denominator of youth. The constant pressures, the superficial, and the uncertainties of life, create obstacles that make it difficult to get a foothold in that struggle.
To make things more complicated there are times when our own views and beliefs are challenged—in turn creating doubt. It is worse when we realize that our own views are not our own views at all. As Gretta’s father, Mr. Lawlor, observes “The curse of the world is people thinking thoughts that are only thoughts which have been given them. They’re not their own thoughts.” (page 9)
