Anyway, this section was very hallucinatory, but I think I enjoyed that aspect, confusing though it may be. As with previous sections, I’m not sure if my own English degree has been very helpful with understanding. I’ve primarily been enjoying the language and relying on other sources to explain what’s going on.

Here are my favorite language employments of the first third of section 15:

“puffing Poldy, blowing Bloohoom.” (434)
“Hey, shitbreeches!” (435)
“Drunks cover distance double quick.” (452)
“I follow a literary occupation.” (458)

Additionally, there was some interesting gender things going on this section that would have been rather radical. One of the people in the street is merely named “A Feminist” and Poldy himself is shown to blur gender expectations (”Bloom is a finished example of the new womanly man.” 493).

Enjoying this episode, a long strange trip triggered perhaps by “Something poisonous I ate.” (Bloom) [ML 1946, p.429] I’ve been particularly intrigued by all the STUFF Poldy has been carrying in his many pockets. He catalogs these for us [p.430] after dodging a potential pick-pocket, “Bloom pats with parcelled hands watch, fobpocket, bookpocket, pursepocket, sweets of sin, potato, soap.” And hilariously when the (hallucinated) ghost of his father appears attempts to hide his porky parcels, then wracked with regret tinged guilt gives them to a mongrel dog [p.445].

The mock/hallucinatory trial had me wondering if Joyce is using Bloom as a representation of himself and the trials he faced as an avant-garde writer. Asked his occupation, Bloom replies, “Well, I follow a literary occupation. Author-journalist…” [p.449-450]

Poldy’s talisman POTATO makes many appearances in this episode. “A talisman. Heirloom.” [p.467] and I like the reference to Sir Walter Raleigh’s mixed bag of gifts from the New World: potatoes and tobacco / killer of pestilence and poisoner. “Potato Preservative against Plague and Pestilence, pray for us.” [p.488]. Indeed.

Re: method of approach/attack for Ulysses. I’ve largely tried to read w/out relying on guides, other than the Schemas, the first time through. Just read for the words, the mood, the humor (consistently great!). Then I use various resources plus my notes to plunge down assorted rabbit holes and decipher puzzlers. I’d probably be really frustrated w/out my notebooks. For Episode 14, Oxen of the Sun, I gave up and really relied on Schmoop to pull me through the morass of 18th century prose styles. That episode only got good at the very end, when it slipped into dialect and slang. Otherwise I’ve found Ulysses to be pretty accessible and not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. I’m actually really enjoying it on the whole and feel quite attached to Poldy Bloom through it all.

Sifting through the layers I found a wicked insult on p. 459: 
“this jackdaw of Rheims, who has not even been to a university.”

And a fun compliment to this Sunday being Mother’s Day on p. 494:
Bloom: O, I so want to be a mother.

Me thinks this has been a parallax of fantasies/dreams brought on by some mighty strong absinthe.  It is like a study of dream state of mind with sprinkling of  imagined conscious and unconscious thought of the character of Bloom.  It is almost like think out loud brainstorm of  Joyce to whom Bloom is and what would Bloom dream and think about .  This could actually be a great tool for other writers notes when writing a novel.

I have been riding this ribbon of Zoroastrianism on these two episodes also and not sure where, if anywhere, it might lead but it is curious.  

As I have been trying not to look up much while reading along, I do think I will come back and research more on these sections.  I have been mostly just reading each section then reading your blog and commenting.  I am in the boat that l want to attack the book blind and then later go back and see more.

This is such a difficult book. When I started reading War and Peace, this is what I expected, and I was almost a little disappointed that W&P was so accessible. Now I’m thankful W&P was so accessible. I’d never have finished it on my own otherwise.

I don’t know if Ulysses gets better on subsequent readings, and I doubt I’ll ever know, because I suspect once will be enough for me.