Research Article

Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce

Number: 73 September 21, 2026
TR EN

Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce

Abstract

James Joyce (1882-1941), one of the leading figures of modernist literature, stands out with his works such as Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses. He has an essential place in literature in that he provides the first examples of many narrative techniques, especially the stream of consciousness. In his works, Joyce, an Irish writer, generally reflects Ireland's social, religious, and cultural characteristics. The opening story of Dubliners, The Sisters, is shaped around a priest and a young child, narrator of the story. This story, in which Joyce expresses his dissatisfaction and distrust of the Catholic Church and religion, covers the process following the death of priest James Flynn and the time the priest and the boy spend together before the priest’s death, through flashbacks, one of the basic techniques of modern narrative. In the process after the death, the mourning rituals of the Catholic and Irish faith, the social structure, and the attitudes and feelings adopted by the society are narrated. In his story, Joyce addresses death not only from an individual but also from a social perspective. The Sisters is essential in showing how language can be related to social, religious rituals, and culture. This article examines how James Joyce reflects Ireland's social structure, religious values, and culture in a linguistic context in his story The Sisters.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

World Languages, Literature and Culture (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

September 21, 2026

Submission Date

July 27, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 12, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 73

APA
Görmez, M. B., & Torusdağ, G. (2026). Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 73, 185-191. https://doi.org/10.53568/yyusbed.1752237
AMA
1.Görmez MB, Torusdağ G. Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2026;(73):185-191. doi:10.53568/yyusbed.1752237
Chicago
Görmez, Merve Betül, and Gülşen Torusdağ. 2026. “Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce”. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, nos. 73: 185-91. https://doi.org/10.53568/yyusbed.1752237.
EndNote
Görmez MB, Torusdağ G (September 1, 2026) Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi 73 185–191.
IEEE
[1]M. B. Görmez and G. Torusdağ, “Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce”, Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, no. 73, pp. 185–191, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.53568/yyusbed.1752237.
ISNAD
Görmez, Merve Betül - Torusdağ, Gülşen. “Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce”. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi. 73 (September 1, 2026): 185-191. https://doi.org/10.53568/yyusbed.1752237.
JAMA
1.Görmez MB, Torusdağ G. Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2026;:185–191.
MLA
Görmez, Merve Betül, and Gülşen Torusdağ. “Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce”. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, no. 73, Sept. 2026, pp. 185-91, doi:10.53568/yyusbed.1752237.
Vancouver
1.Merve Betül Görmez, Gülşen Torusdağ. Distrust of the Catholic Church (Moral Degeneration) and Cultural Reflections in The Sisters by James Joyce. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2026 Sep. 1;(73):185-91. doi:10.53568/yyusbed.1752237

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