An Encounter

The opening words of a text, known as the incipit, are very important for establishing tone, setting, and point of view in a story. Joyce bestows the honor of this responsibility upon a line that seems at first to lead the story in a different direction than the one it ultimately follows: “It was Joe Dillon who introduced the Wild West to us” (10). The story takes place in Dublin, not Deadwood, and Joe Dillon disappears completely after the third paragraph.

The sand-and-saddlebags reality of the Wild West isn’t nearly as important in “An Encounter” as what that time period represents: freedom; courage; individuality; the great unknown. The narrator explains early on: “The adventures related in the literature of the Wild West were remote from my nature but, at least, they opened doors of escape” (10). He longs to get away from the routine of his life and find some excitement. The narrator and Mahony carry their games along with them as they explore the streets of Dublin, but the clearest parallel between the actual Wild West and its spirit as represented in the story comes when the boys meet