What does the story mean? Joyce's “A Painful Case” shows the clash between two different types of people; those who think they can't do better for themselves and those who want to help them help themselves. How does this mean? James Duffy is a lonely man who doesn't particularly like the suburbs of Dublin. He lives in an old, shabby and worn house, with a black iron bed, an iron sink, some chairs, a coal bucket, a square table, a bumper and irons. Compared to a modern-day happy home, one might assume that someone currently died in Mr. Duffy's home. One day, he was sitting in a rotunda, next to a lady, Mrs. Sinica, and her offspring. That meeting would be the launch of something new for both of them. Ms Sinica would meet Mr Duffy at the park gate, or somewhere in town, or invite him to her house. Mr. Sinica encouraged his visits, thinking that Mr. Duffy was seeking his daughter's hand in holy matrimony. All the moments spent with her affected his life and he started living a little differently than before. During one of the meetings, Ms. Sinica became slightly nervous, and Mr. Duffy left and did not communicate with her for a week. Finally he asked her to meet him at a pastry shop where they walked for a few hours talking. A few days after the two decided to end their interaction, he obtained his music and books from Ms. Sinica. Several years passed and Mr Duffy never heard from Ms Sinica again. He wrote more rarely than before and stayed away from concerts for fear of seeing her. Late one afternoon, while analyzing a newspaper editorial, he came across an article about “DEATH OF A LADY AT THE SYNDEY PARADE” and forced himself to continue. Once he read the paragraph and realized that the deceased woman was his old companion, something arose in his stomach that didn't seem familiar. He firmly believed that not only had she degraded herself, but he had also degraded herself. With this in mind, he went to a pub for some hot punch, entered the park gate and strolled under some emaciated trees and desolate valleys, as the two had done four years earlier..