On the Topic of Research Interests...

The research project has always been lingering in the back of my mind, towering behind me while I read through the novel, yet despite the emphasis I placed upon actively trying to find a research topic, the one that I came to settle on appeared naturally. 

When beginning to read the Eamann section, I assumed that references to the High Road in close proximity to the canal was symbolic of how Eamann and his father, but mostly his father, carried themselves above others despite being the same as others, which was mirrored by the "High Road" despite canals being level with or below walking ground. As I read further and more information was disclosed, it became apparent that the canal was actually a raised bridge, not dissimilar to an aqueduct. 

The concept of such a canal in and of itself grabbed my attention, as I was of the opinion that aqueduct-like structures were mostly defunct given modern infrastructure; the moment I wanted to look further, I stopped myself and noted it as a prospective topic for research. Frankly, even now I can't imagine what it looks like, and it's moderately infuriating. Neither can I imagine why someone would place a canal in the middle of a bridge presumably for the purpose of traversing over unpassable terrain. The whole IRA bombing in 1939 is icing on the cake, and I'll have to research the IRA by extension to get the full picture of the imagery and symbolism latent within the section.

Other potential research topics include the 7/7 terrorist attacks, and for a slightly more shallow and mundane tone, there's also the topic of the "cherry pitter." I would strongly recommend against the latter, but it's a funny thing that I wasn't aware existed up until reading this book.