A Conversation on Objects and Symbols

From A Reading Life, A Writing Life, with Sally Bayley by Sally Bayley, Andrew Smith

September 3, 2025 · 50 min · Episode 85

About this episode

Sally Bayley converses with James Bowen about the role of objects and symbols in modernist literature.

‘He stood still in the gloom of the hall, trying to catch the air that the voice was singing and gazing up at his wife. There was grace and mystery in her attitude as if she were a symbol of something.’ A special episode this week, as we join Sally in conversation with James Bowen, the podcast’s producer and a fellow teacher of literature. Listen for a conversation on the role of objects in narratives, and the way in which characters reduce one another to symbols in modernist literature, ranging across Joyce’s short story ‘The Dead’ (1904) to Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway (1925) and To the Lighthouse (1927). You can find out more about James and his work here. Alice Jolly’s novel, The Matchbox Girl, discussed near the end of the episode is forthcoming with Bloomsbury, and is available to pre-order from all good booksellers. The wonderful piano music in the closing section is ‘Monday’, by Paul Seba. You can listen to more of his work here. This episode was edited and produced by James Bowen. Special thanks to Andrew Smith, Violet Henderson, Kris Dyer, and Maeve Magnus. A note on the sound: We are still experimenting with this format, and apologise that the sound levels are a touch…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sally Bayley, Andrew Smith

Guest: James Bowen

Topics covered

modernist literature
objects in narratives
character symbolism
literature discussion
Joyce
Woolf

Keywords

modernism
literature
symbols
objects
Joyce
Woolf
narratives
characterization

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The Matchbox Girl

Books & works: The Dead, Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse