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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 4, No. 1 March 12, 1941

"Finnegan's Wake."

"Finnegan's Wake."

The moment of "Finnegan's Wake" was mentioned, a lovely time was had by all. Nobody at the meeting had been able to read the book right through, and there was much argument as to whether it was worth writing, whether it had any meaning, and whether Joyce was breaking down mentally or not. An interesting interpretation of the plot was produced by Dr. Sutch, and various extracts read aloud and analysed. But it still didn't seem to mean much.

Professor Gordon pointed out that Joyce had an extraordinarily varied linguistic background. Born in Ireland, he spent his life wandering through Europe, and was a member of a family which habitually spoke Italian. With many modern and several dead languages to play with, he built up such combinations and allusions that it needs a man of startling erudition to follow him completely.