The alcoholic tendencies of the character Farrington in James Joyce's Counterparts, from the Dubliners collection, have a severe detrimental effect on his ability to manage his anger. Petty annoyances drive him to unfathomable rage, due to both the mood altering aspects of the drinks as well as his helpless dependence on them for emotional support. In the end, Farrington is a slave to them, and has next to no control over his own actions.
Farrington exhibits inwardly homicidal tendencies towards his boss, and his only cure for them besides carrying them out is to have a drink. Additionally, he is unable to focus on his job since he is unable to drink alcohol while on duty at the office, so he cannot cope with petty annoyances that occur over the course of his day. He sneaks out the door and heads down to the bar for a glass of porter, but after he returns he realizes he still cannot focus on his job, and again has a lapse of rage. Farrington's willpower has been deleted by his dependence on alcohol; two issues that commonly go hand in hand. He feels the urge to commit various acts of violence in the office; an urge he barely resists.
Farrington is only happy when he is at the bar with his friends; and for a time, he can control and enjoy himself. His high tolerance, and lack of money compels him to pawn his watch so he can get drunk, a goal in which he does not succeed even after the additional money he brings in. At the end of the story, he is angrier than ever, primarily at the fact that he is not drunk, so at the end he beats his child, effectively displacing his own problems upon the innocent.