Counterparts (short story) Counterparts (short story) "Counterparts" is a short story by James Joyce published in his 1914 collection "Dubliners". The story recounts an evening in the life of a man named Farrington, frequently referred to simply as "the man". Farrington’s difficulties begin at his clerical job when his boss -- whom he addresses as "Mr. Alleyne" -- berates him for not having finished an assignment. Instead of applying himself immediately to the task, the alcoholic Farrington slips out of the office for a quick "g.p." (glass of plain porter). When Alleyne yells at Farrington again, Farrington replies with an impertinent remark and
The Idiots (short story) The Idiots (short story) "The Idiots" is a short story by Joseph Conrad, his first to be published. It first appeared in "The Savoy" in 1896. The story was included in the Conrad collection "Tales of Unrest", published in 1898. Set in Britanny, the story describes a couple whose children have intellectual disability; the strain on the family leads eventually to murder. The story was written during Joseph Conrad's honeymoon; he rented a house on Île-Grande, on the north coast of Brittany, from April to August 1896. His wife Jessie later wrote that "much of our Île-Grande life is in