Long Island

by Tóibín, Colm

Long Island by Colm Tóibín is a sequel to his 2009 novel Brooklyn, continuing the story of Eilis Lacey two decades later. Now settled in Long Island with her husband Tony and their children, Eilis faces personal upheaval when she discovers Tony has fathered a child with another woman. She returns to her hometown in Ireland, confronting past relationships and seeking solace. The novel explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of love and family across two countries.

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Long Island

Part Five:iii

by Tóibín, Colm

In this chapter, Gerard and Jim discuss the future of the family chip shop business. Jim explains that while the shop is unlikely to be sold, it’s premature to fully hand over control to Gerard. Instead, they propose a gradual transition where Gerard will use the same accountant and bank as Jim, pay reduced rent to his mother, and meet weekly with Jim to review accounts and resolve issues. This arrangement is designed to prepare Gerard for eventual full ownership, emphasizing the significant responsibility involved, especially the demanding work hours.

Meanwhile, Jim contemplates his own complicated personal situation. He hopes Eilis will contact him and agree to move to New York, which would allow him to end his engagement with Nancy discreetly. Jim imagines the challenges ahead, including breaking the news to Nancy and managing the social repercussions in their small town. Despite the potential for a new beginning with Eilis, he struggles with uncertainty about her true feelings and the timing of her decision.

Jim reflects on his role as a pub owner, observing how customers often ignore reason despite knowing better. He compares this behavior to his own internal conflict, acknowledging that he is similarly drawn to risky choices despite the consequences. His pride in managing the pub responsibly contrasts with his personal doubts, especially as he questions whether his hopes for a future with Eilis are realistic or merely wishful thinking.

The chapter closes with Jim’s concern that Eilis must never learn about his engagement to Nancy. He fears the complications that knowledge would bring, especially since Nancy is an old friend of Eilis. Jim’s thoughts reveal the tension between his hopes for a new life and the moral and emotional complexities he faces, underscoring the uncertain and fragile nature of his plans going forward.

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FAQs

1. What arrangement does Jim propose to Gerard regarding the chip shop business, and what are the reasons behind this plan?

Answer:
Jim proposes that Gerard continue running the chip shop but under a structured mentorship and oversight arrangement. Gerard is to use the same accountant and bank as Jim, pay his mother rent at half the market rate, and meet with Jim weekly to review accounts and address any problems. Jim will have full access to Gerard’s accounts. This arrangement is meant to be a transitional phase over a few years before potentially handing the business over to Gerard entirely. The reasoning behind this plan is that neither Jim nor Gerard’s mother wants to sell the building, but they recognize Gerard’s responsibility and need for guidance given the challenges of running the business, such as working nights and weekends.

2. How does Jim’s internal conflict about his relationships and future plans reflect his character and situation?

Answer:
Jim is portrayed as a man caught between his current commitments and uncertain future desires. He is engaged to Nancy but is also hopeful that Eilis might want to be with him in New York, which would lead him to break off the engagement with Nancy. This internal conflict highlights his indecision and the emotional complexity of his situation. He carefully contemplates the consequences of telling Nancy about ending their engagement and worries about the potential fallout and gossip in the town. Jim’s reflections about customers who drink despite knowing better parallel his own irrational pursuit of a risky relationship with Eilis. This reveals his vulnerability and tendency to act against his better judgment, underscoring the tension between duty and desire.

3. Why does Jim emphasize the importance of keeping the engagement announcement private for the time being?

Answer:
Jim stresses that Gerard should not announce the engagement prematurely, even to close family like his sisters. This caution stems from a desire to control the timing and manner of the announcement, likely to avoid gossip, misunderstandings, or emotional complications within the family and community. Jim also mentions that Eilis feels guilty for telling Gerard before others, indicating sensitivity about how the news spreads. By managing the information carefully, Jim hopes to maintain order and prevent unnecessary tension, ensuring that everyone hears the news simultaneously and on their own terms.

4. In what ways does Jim’s ownership of the pub influence his perspective on human behavior and decision-making?

Answer:
Jim’s experience as a pub owner provides him with insights into human nature, particularly the way people often act against their own best interests. He observes customers who know they should stop drinking but persist regardless, highlighting a pattern of self-destructive behavior. This observation leads Jim to see himself similarly, as someone aware of the potential trouble his choices (like pursuing Eilis) could cause but driven by emotions to proceed anyway. His role behind the bar, managing patrons who indulge in fantasy or denial, gives him a unique lens through which to view his own life’s uncertainties and the fantasies he entertains about his future with Eilis.

5. What are the potential consequences Jim worries about if Eilis chooses between him and the father of her children, and why does he want to keep his past with Nancy secret?

Answer:
Jim is aware that Eilis’s decision between him and the father of her children carries significant emotional and social consequences. He worries that revealing his engagement to Nancy, who is also an old friend of Eilis, could complicate matters and damage relationships. To protect Eilis’s perception of him and avoid scandal or hurt feelings, Jim resolves that Eilis must never know about his past relationship with Nancy. This secrecy is crucial to maintaining Eilis’s trust and the possibility of a future together. Jim’s concern reflects the delicate balance of personal loyalties, social reputation, and the complex dynamics of love and responsibility within their community.

Quotes

1. “‘What your mother suggested is this. You use the same accountant and the same bank as I do. You pay your mother rent at half the market price. We meet once a week and we go over accounts and any other queries and problems. I will have full access to your accounts. We do this for the next few years and then we talk about the next move.’”

This quote outlines the initial plan for Gerard’s gradual takeover of the family chip shop business, highlighting the practical and cautious approach his mother and Jim propose. It captures the theme of responsibility and the complex dynamics of family business succession.

2. “‘It’s important that you leave the announcement of the engagement to your mother and myself. I know it might be tempting to tell someone, even your sisters. But it would be great if you didn’t. In a while, we’ll be letting everyone know. I think she feels a bit guilty for telling you before the others, but it’s done now.’”

This passage reveals the sensitive nature of the engagement announcement and the careful management of information within the family, emphasizing themes of secrecy, control, and social expectations.

3. “He understood something about people, he thought, because he owned a pub. Each night from behind the counter he studied customers who were fully aware that they should go home or that they should not even consider having another drink. He watched them doing what made no sense, unwilling to listen to argument or reason.”

This insightful reflection draws a parallel between the self-destructive behaviors of pub customers and Jim’s own internal conflict, illustrating a key thematic element of human irrationality and self-sabotage in the chapter.

4. “Now, however, in the plans he was making, Jim realised that he himself was like one of his own worst customers, someone who knew what he should not do but was driven to do it regardless, no matter how much trouble it would cause.”

Here, Jim’s self-awareness about his flawed decision-making serves as a pivotal moment of character development, encapsulating the tension between desire and consequence that permeates the narrative.

5. “If the moment came when she had to decide between the father of her children and a man who was already engaged and was prepared to destroy the life of another woman, an old friend of hers, what would she do? It was essential, he saw, that Eilis never guessed about Nancy.”

This quote highlights the moral complexity and emotional stakes in Jim’s relationships, underscoring themes of secrecy, loyalty, and the potential fallout of personal choices within intertwined social circles.

Quotes

1. “‘What your mother suggested is this. You use the same accountant and the same bank as I do. You pay your mother rent at half the market price. We meet once a week and we go over accounts and any other queries and problems. I will have full access to your accounts. We do this for the next few years and then we talk about the next move.’”

This quote outlines the initial plan for Gerard’s gradual takeover of the family chip shop business, highlighting the practical and cautious approach his mother and Jim propose. It captures the theme of responsibility and the complex dynamics of family business succession.

2. “‘It’s important that you leave the announcement of the engagement to your mother and myself. I know it might be tempting to tell someone, even your sisters. But it would be great if you didn’t. In a while, we’ll be letting everyone know. I think she feels a bit guilty for telling you before the others, but it’s done now.’”

This passage reveals the sensitive nature of the engagement announcement and the careful management of information within the family, emphasizing themes of secrecy, control, and social expectations.

3. “He understood something about people, he thought, because he owned a pub. Each night from behind the counter he studied customers who were fully aware that they should go home or that they should not even consider having another drink. He watched them doing what made no sense, unwilling to listen to argument or reason.”

This insightful reflection draws a parallel between the self-destructive behaviors of pub customers and Jim’s own internal conflict, illustrating a key thematic element of human irrationality and self-sabotage in the chapter.

4. “Now, however, in the plans he was making, Jim realised that he himself was like one of his own worst customers, someone who knew what he should not do but was driven to do it regardless, no matter how much trouble it would cause.”

Here, Jim’s self-awareness about his flawed decision-making serves as a pivotal moment of character development, encapsulating the tension between desire and consequence that permeates the narrative.

5. “If the moment came when she had to decide between the father of her children and a man who was already engaged and was prepared to destroy the life of another woman, an old friend of hers, what would she do? It was essential, he saw, that Eilis never guessed about Nancy.”

This quote highlights the moral complexity and emotional stakes in Jim’s relationships, underscoring themes of secrecy, loyalty, and the potential fallout of personal choices within intertwined social circles.

FAQs

1. What arrangement does Jim propose to Gerard regarding the chip shop business, and what are the reasons behind this plan?

Answer:
Jim proposes that Gerard continue running the chip shop but under a structured mentorship and oversight arrangement. Gerard is to use the same accountant and bank as Jim, pay his mother rent at half the market rate, and meet with Jim weekly to review accounts and address any problems. Jim will have full access to Gerard’s accounts. This arrangement is meant to be a transitional phase over a few years before potentially handing the business over to Gerard entirely. The reasoning behind this plan is that neither Jim nor Gerard’s mother wants to sell the building, but they recognize Gerard’s responsibility and need for guidance given the challenges of running the business, such as working nights and weekends.

2. How does Jim’s internal conflict about his relationships and future plans reflect his character and situation?

Answer:
Jim is portrayed as a man caught between his current commitments and uncertain future desires. He is engaged to Nancy but is also hopeful that Eilis might want to be with him in New York, which would lead him to break off the engagement with Nancy. This internal conflict highlights his indecision and the emotional complexity of his situation. He carefully contemplates the consequences of telling Nancy about ending their engagement and worries about the potential fallout and gossip in the town. Jim’s reflections about customers who drink despite knowing better parallel his own irrational pursuit of a risky relationship with Eilis. This reveals his vulnerability and tendency to act against his better judgment, underscoring the tension between duty and desire.

3. Why does Jim emphasize the importance of keeping the engagement announcement private for the time being?

Answer:
Jim stresses that Gerard should not announce the engagement prematurely, even to close family like his sisters. This caution stems from a desire to control the timing and manner of the announcement, likely to avoid gossip, misunderstandings, or emotional complications within the family and community. Jim also mentions that Eilis feels guilty for telling Gerard before others, indicating sensitivity about how the news spreads. By managing the information carefully, Jim hopes to maintain order and prevent unnecessary tension, ensuring that everyone hears the news simultaneously and on their own terms.

4. In what ways does Jim’s ownership of the pub influence his perspective on human behavior and decision-making?

Answer:
Jim’s experience as a pub owner provides him with insights into human nature, particularly the way people often act against their own best interests. He observes customers who know they should stop drinking but persist regardless, highlighting a pattern of self-destructive behavior. This observation leads Jim to see himself similarly, as someone aware of the potential trouble his choices (like pursuing Eilis) could cause but driven by emotions to proceed anyway. His role behind the bar, managing patrons who indulge in fantasy or denial, gives him a unique lens through which to view his own life’s uncertainties and the fantasies he entertains about his future with Eilis.

5. What are the potential consequences Jim worries about if Eilis chooses between him and the father of her children, and why does he want to keep his past with Nancy secret?

Answer:
Jim is aware that Eilis’s decision between him and the father of her children carries significant emotional and social consequences. He worries that revealing his engagement to Nancy, who is also an old friend of Eilis, could complicate matters and damage relationships. To protect Eilis’s perception of him and avoid scandal or hurt feelings, Jim resolves that Eilis must never know about his past relationship with Nancy. This secrecy is crucial to maintaining Eilis’s trust and the possibility of a future together. Jim’s concern reflects the delicate balance of personal loyalties, social reputation, and the complex dynamics of love and responsibility within their community.