Appreciated inaction
Margaret wants to thank Jim for his keeping in the background, when she has been recovering from the unsuccessful suicide attempt. This inaction she considers to be the best tact, but he just did not know how to act, and even was not so sympathetic as others. And thus his inaction and even indifference was highly appreciated. His ironic attitude is not vivid, he never shows it to his interlocutors, and these moments, expressed by the third person, shows Jim’s reticence, and his affords of hiding his ironical comments on everything that surrounds him.
Exposing to culture
Welch family is very fond of music, they often organize music evenings, and invite a lot of their friends, and to one of such Dixon is invited. He considers that Mrs Welch just wants to see his reaction to culture, and music is surely a way to check person’s attitude towards it, and whether he is a proper person to teach at the university, and as he say “nobody who can’t tell a flute from a recorder can be worth hearing on the price of bloody cows under Edward the Third”. Ironical comment shows some disrespect towards the Welches, or rather reveals the insignificance of such event and its purpose.
Inner struggle
The climax of the story happens when Dixon reads a lecture being drunk. This is a very important moment, as for the first time he lets his inner world be expressed by outer means. But ironic is this very means – alcohol. But even so it is what works for him, his inner life coincide with the outer one, his character is vividly explored at that moment.
