A Complete Guide to 'Small Things Like These'

Overview

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan is a novella set in Ireland during the 1980s. It examines societal complicity in institutional abuse through the story of Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant. The narrative highlights Furlong's moral awakening and courage as he rescues a young girl from the abusive Magdalen laundries. Keegan explores themes of poverty, complicity, and personal integrity set against the backdrop of Christmas preparations in a small, tightly controlled town.

---

Plot Summary

1. Setting the Scene: The story opens in a cold, rainy Irish town in the lead-up to Christmas. Bill Furlong, a coal merchant, works hard to provide for his family but is acutely aware of local poverty and emigration.
2. Furlong's Past: Through flashbacks, we learn about Furlong's illegitimate birth to a domestic servant and his upbringing under the protection of Mrs. Wilson, a Protestant widow. This upbringing shields him from destitution but also leaves unresolved questions about his father.
3. Encounter with the Convent: Furlong's delivery to the local convent exposes him to the harsh conditions endured by young women held there. A girl named Sarah begs him for help, and Furlong begins to see the broader implications of societal silence.
4. Tension at Home: Furlong's wife, Eileen, urges him to ignore the situation, fearing repercussions for their family. The town, tightly controlled by the nuns, also exerts pressure to maintain the status quo.
5. Moral Decision: On Christmas Eve, Furlong returns to the convent and rescues Sarah, defying societal expectations. As he walks her home, he reflects on the cost of his actions but feels a sense of hope for the future.

---

Key Moments

1. Opening Scene: The Cold and Poverty

• The novella begins with a vivid description of the harsh winter and pervasive poverty.
• "The people, for the most part, unhappily endured the weather… all commented, in their own ways, on the cold and what rain had fallen, asking what was in it – and could there be something in it – for who could believe that there, again, was another raw-cold day?"
• The cold symbolises the emotional and moral stagnation of the town, where people endure suffering without question.

2. Furlong's Visit to the Convent

• Furlong delivers coal to the convent and witnesses the conditions inside, meeting Sarah, who begs for help.
• "And not one of them with shoes but going around in black socks and some horrid type of grey-coloured shifts. One girl had an ugly stye in her eye, and another's hair had been roughly cut, as though someone blind had taken to it with shears."
• This moment is pivotal as it forces Furlong to confront the town's complicity in abuse.

3. Conversation with Eileen

• Eileen urges Furlong to ignore what he has seen, reflecting societal pressure to maintain silence.
• "That night, in bed, Furlong considered going over no part of what he'd witnessed at the convent with Eileen, but when he told her, she sat up rigid and said such things had nothing to do with them, and that there was nothing they could do, and didn't those girls up there need a fire to warm themselves, like everyone?"
• This highlights the tension between Furlong's growing conscience and the fear of social repercussions.

4. Mrs. Kehoe's Warning

• Mrs. Kehoe cautions Furlong about challenging the nuns, emphasising their power over the town.
• "These nuns have a finger in every pie."
• This underscores the pervasiveness of institutional control and societal complicity.

5. Furlong's Act of Defiance

• On Christmas Eve, Furlong rescues Sarah and brings her home, knowing it may cost his family dearly.
• "In his foolish heart he not only hoped but legitimately believed that they would manage."
• The act represents hope, courage, and the possibility of change.

---

Literary Devices

Technique	Explanation/Example
Symbolism	The cold represents societal indifference. "The rain had fallen steadily, with no promise of an end."
Imagery	Keegan vividly describes the harsh climate and oppressive atmosphere. "The town lay under a thick frost."
Foreshadowing	Sarah's plight hints at Furlong's eventual moral decision. 'Well, I've nobody – and all I want to do is drown meself. Can you not even do that fukken much for us?'
Juxtaposition	Contrasts between Furlong's warmth at home and the cruelty of the convent.
Third-Person Limited	The narrative focuses on Furlong's thoughts, immersing the reader in his moral dilemma.

---

General Vision and Viewpoint (GVV)

The General Vision and Viewpoint of Small Things Like These is deeply introspective, contrasting oppressive societal norms with the moral courage of individual action. It examines Furlong's struggle within a stifling cultural framework and highlights both the grimness of systemic abuse and the redemptive power of personal integrity.

Oppression and Power Structures

• The overarching power of the Catholic Church creates a grim and oppressive atmosphere where societal norms stifle dissent.
  • "These nuns have a finger in every pie."
  • This demonstrates how institutional control extends to every corner of life, influencing schools, businesses, and social behaviour.

Hope and Resistance

• Furlong's decency and eventual defiance counter the bleakness, suggesting that individual actions can challenge systemic injustice.
  • "What was the point of being alive if we were not going to help one another?"
  • This reflects a hopeful perspective amidst societal complicity.

Family and Joy

• Despite societal constraints, the joy and warmth of family life are a recurring element. Furlong treasures moments with his daughters, which reinforce the stakes of his moral decisions.
  • "In his foolish heart he not only hoped but legitimately believed that they would manage."

Open Ending

• The novella concludes with a sense of uncertainty: Furlong's act of defiance leaves questions about the consequences for his family, underscoring the risks of challenging entrenched systems.
  • The worst was yet to come, he knew. Already he could feel a world of trouble waiting for him behind the next door, but the worst that could have happened was also already behind him; the thing not done, which could have been – which he would have had to live with for the rest of his life.

---

Cultural Context

The cultural context of Small Things Like These reflects a deeply insular, patriarchal Irish society in the 1980s, dominated by economic hardship, Catholic doctrine, and rigid social hierarchies.

Gender Roles and Class Divides

• The treatment of women is shaped by societal obsession with purity and morality. Women deemed transgressive, such as single mothers, are confined to places like the Magdalen laundries.
  • "What have I against girls?" he went on. "My own mother was a girl, once. And I dare say the same must be true of you and all belonging to us."
  • The story critiques how gender and class determine an individual's worth.

Economic Constraints

• The recession of the 1980s frames the narrative, influencing both the Furlong family's modest lifestyle and the broader societal pressures.
  • "Driving out the road, she labored on the hills and Furlong knew the engine was giving out, that the new windows Eileen had her heart set upon for the front of the house would not be installed next year, or the year after."
  • This quote shows the Furlongs' tough financial situation; they do not have enough money to fix their car or install new windows in their home.

Religious Power

• The Catholic Church functions as a dominant authority, wielding control through institutions such as the convent, schools, and parishes.
  • "Furlong stood down near the door as they walked up the aisle, and watched how easily they genuflected and slid into the pew, as they'd been taught, while Joan carried on up to the front, genuflecting and kneeling where the choir was seated."
  • "You've reared a fine family of girls – and you know there's nothing only a wall separating that place from St Margaret's."
  • This reflects the pervasive influence of religious doctrine on education and morality.

Conformity and Complicity

• A close-knit, insular community enforces conformity, as seen in Eileen's and Mrs. Kehoe's warnings to Furlong about challenging the nuns.
  • "If you want to get on in life, there's things you have to ignore, so you can keep on."
  • This highlights the societal reluctance to confront injustice.

---

Theme or Issue

Small Things Like These explores themes of moral courage, societal complicity, and the impact of upbringing, showing how individual choices challenge cultural norms.

Moral Courage and Integrity

• Furlong's decision to rescue Sarah exemplifies a clash between personal conscience and societal expectations.
  • "The fact was that he would pay for it but never once in his whole and unremarkable life had he known a happiness akin to this, not even when his infant girls were first placed in his arms and he had heard their healthy, obstinate cries."
  • The story suggests that moral integrity is worth the personal cost.

Complicity and Silence

• The novella critiques societal complicity, as townspeople turn a blind eye to the convent's abuse, prioritising their own survival.
  • "When the consecration was over and it came time to go up and receive Communion, Furlong stayed contrarily where he was, with his back against the wall."
  • Furlong's defiance represents a break from this culture of compliance.

Childhood and Identity

• Furlong's own upbringing underpins his empathy for Sarah, as he recognises the parallels between her situation and his mother's potential fate.
  • "Furlong had come from nothing. Less than nothing, some might say. His mother, at the age of sixteen, had fallen pregnant while working as a domestic for Mrs. Wilson, the Protestant widow who lived in the big house a few miles outside of town."
  • This emphasises how childhood experiences shape moral values and personal growth.

Family and Responsibility

• Furlong's actions are driven by his role as a father, reflecting his desire to create a just world for his daughters.
  • "Sometimes Furlong, seeing the girls going through the small things which needed to be done – genuflecting in the chapel or thanking a shop-keeper for the change – felt a deep, private joy that these children were his own."

---

Literary Genre

The literary genre of Small Things Like These reflects Claire Keegan's minimalist style, blending subtle details with a quiet yet powerful exploration of significant themes. Through its understated approach, the novella opens up complex moral questions while maintaining an intimate focus on the protagonist's inner life and the community around him.

Understated Style

• Keegan employs a spare narrative style, creating an emotional resonance through simplicity rather than overt description. Her writing is restrained but precise, allowing the weight of the story to emerge gradually.
  • Example: "The hurried-looking hand" on the Mother Superior's card subtly conveys the cynical nature of her gift as a bribe.
  • This understatement invites readers to engage deeply, piecing together the layers of meaning.

Gradual Revelation of the Past

• The linear structure is interspersed with reflections on Furlong's childhood, with key details about his illegitimacy and upbringing revealed in increments.
  • Example: The relationship between Furlong's mother and Ned is hinted at subtly until the barber scene, where he realises their familial connection.
  • This withholding mirrors Furlong's own search for identity, enriching the narrative with an air of quiet discovery.

Motifs and Symbolism

• Keegan uses recurring motifs such as doors, windows, and mirrors to reflect Furlong's internal conflict and journey.
  • Example: The locked coal shed symbolises the physical and emotional confinement of the girls in the convent, while the unlocked door of Furlong's home represents his moral choice to offer refuge.
  • These motifs connect personal dilemmas to broader societal issues, reinforcing the novella's themes.

Imagery and Atmosphere

• Keegan vividly evokes the town of New Ross in the 1980s, using detailed imagery to convey its oppressive atmosphere and the stark contrasts between warmth and cold.
  • Example: "The town lay under a thick frost."
  • The coldness of the setting symbolises societal indifference, while warm domestic scenes underscore the stakes of Furlong's moral choices.

Escalations and Key Moments

• The novella's structure is punctuated by escalating moments that advance the story while intensifying its emotional impact.
  • Example: Furlong's discovery of Sarah in the coal shed is a turning point, forcing him to confront the reality of the convent's abuses and his complicity.
  • These moments are carefully paced, driving the narrative forward without losing its quiet intensity.

Narrative Perspective

• The third-person limited narrative is closely aligned with Furlong's consciousness, immersing the reader in his moral struggles and reflections.
  • Example: His inner thoughts about the parallels between Sarah's plight and his mother's fate deepen the reader's understanding of his actions.
  • This perspective fosters empathy and makes the novella's themes resonate on a personal level.

Open Ending

• The novella concludes with an ambiguous ending, leaving the reader to imagine the consequences of Furlong's actions.
  • Example: "In his foolish heart, he not only hoped but legitimately believed that they would manage."
  • This open-endedness aligns with Keegan's restrained style, emphasising the broader implications of individual moral choices without offering resolution.