The Dubliners is a collection of stories, including “The Dead” written by James Joyce, In “The Dead” Gabriel and his wife Gretta arrive at his Aunts annual Christmas party. Gabriel spends the night attempting to keep his composure while being extremely insecure about what people think of him. Gabriel constantly needs complete control of his life and often doesn’t know how to handle himself when he doesn’t have it. He gets criticized during the party for having little pride or overall compassion for Ireland, which is an event that leads to his epiphany. Gabriel gives a speech at dinner not only speaking highly of his aunts but he also contradicts himself by saying that he wants to forget the past and move on while live in the future with positive
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James Joyce included an excessive amount of imagery in the story to give the reader a clear image because the image helped set the mood as well as the steady decline of Gabriel’s mental stability. Gabriel was accused of being a ‘West Briton’ during the story because he had shown no interest in seeing or talking about Ireland. “Then just as the chain was about to start again, she stood on tiptoe and whispered into his ear: ‘West Briton!” (Joyce129). A ‘West Briton’ was an Irish person who associated with anything English. His disconnection to his country throughout the story contrasts drastically with his epiphany. Gabriel also leads to his epiphany by realizing that his wife does not love him the way he had thought she did. “It hardly pained him now to think how poor a part he, her husband, had played in her life.” (151). He would not have been glancing out the window to have his epiphany if his wife had not become upset and explain this to him. Symbolism was a huge factor in the story because without it he would not have had his epiphany. The snow covering all of Ireland symbolized his connection with the living and the dead because the snow had fallen on everyone, joining them all. “It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried.” (152). Gabriel even felt connected to Michael,
James Joyce included an excessive amount of imagery in the story to give the reader a clear image because the image helped set the mood as well as the steady decline of Gabriel’s mental stability. Gabriel was accused of being a ‘West Briton’ during the story because he had shown no interest in seeing or talking about Ireland. “Then just as the chain was about to start again, she stood on tiptoe and whispered into his ear: ‘West Briton!” (Joyce129). A ‘West Briton’ was an Irish person who associated with anything English. His disconnection to his country throughout the story contrasts drastically with his epiphany. Gabriel also leads to his epiphany by realizing that his wife does not love him the way he had thought she did. “It hardly pained him now to think how poor a part he, her husband, had played in her life.” (151). He would not have been glancing out the window to have his epiphany if his wife had not become upset and explain this to him. Symbolism was a huge factor in the story because without it he would not have had his epiphany. The snow covering all of Ireland symbolized his connection with the living and the dead because the snow had fallen on everyone, joining them all. “It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried.” (152). Gabriel even felt connected to Michael,