Tom Corridan

Tom belongs to a lower class family but dreams of higher education

Tom Corridan is the main character of the story "Tom Corridan" by Arhondia. He is a teenager who lives on Cherryfield Road, in Dublin (ll. 11-12), with his mother, his father Frank, and little brother Joe. References to Father Flanagan (l. 21), Tom’s teacher, and to Tom thinking about attending university (l. 108), suggest that Tom attends a Catholic secondary school (the equivalent of high school in Ireland).

Tom wants to improve his life and go to university (l. 108). His expectations and his capacity to learn Ancient Greek (l. 22) suggest he is intelligent, as do his references to difficult literary works such as The Odyssey and James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake (l. 11). However, no one except Father Flanagan supports this plan (l. 107). Frank expects Tom to follow in his footsteps and work after he finishes high school (ll. 67-68).

Tom looks down on his father, but is also afraid of him

Tom does not want to end up like his father and judges Frank and his drunken friends for their life choices:...