Ulysses

After passing through the busy streets of Dublin, Bloom is in the offices of the Weekly Freeman and National Press newspaper. Lines from the newspaper—such as “IN THE HEART OF THE HIBERIAN METROPOLIS” (112)—appear throughout the prose. The same publisher also produces the Telegraph. Bloom asks Red Murray to print an advert sample for a local business named the House of Keyes. Imagining how the printing press machinery could “smash a man to atoms” (114), he takes the sample to the Evening Telegraph offices. He passes Hynes, who is writing up the report of Dignam’s funeral. Hynes is talking to City Councilor and foreman Nanetti. Though he was born Italian, Nanetti claims to be “more Irish than the Irish” (115). Hynes ignores Bloom’s suggestion that he may owe Bloom money. Bloom discusses the Keyes advert, which subtly endorses Irish nationalism by referencing the Isle of Man. Nanetti agrees to run the advert if Keyes will commit to “a three months’ renewal” (116). Bloom walks past the printing presses, listening to their shuffling sounds. He goes to the staff offices, where men are arranging the newspaper stories into typeface. Since they arrange the type in reverse—right to left—their “reading backwards” (118) reminds Bloom of his father reading the Torah.