The-Dead

MainideasPersonalviewsMessageTheDeadJamesJoyceGeneralFactsfulltitle·Dublinersauthor·JamesJoycetypeofwork·Collectionofshortstoriesgenre·Realistfiction;urbanliteraturelanguage·English(withsomeIrishsayings)setting(timeandplace)·Early1900s,Dublin,Irelanddateoffirstpublication·1914publisher·GrantRichardsnarrator·Narratedbyananonymousthirdpersonwhopayscloseattentiontodetailsthoughinadetachedmanner.CharactersGabrielConroy-Themaincharacterofthestory.KateMorkanandJuliaMorkan-ElderlysisterswhothrowapartybeforetheFeastofEpiphany(Jan6)MaryJaneMorkan-NieceofKateandJuliaMorkan.Lily-Maid,insultedbyGabrielConroywhenheasksaboutherlovelife.GrettaConroy-Gabriel'swife.MollyIvors-ColleagueofGabriel's,verypatrioticaboutIreland.Mr.Browne-OnlyProtestantguestattheparty.FreddyMalins-AdrunkandfriendofGabriel’s.BartellD'Arcy-Afamoustenor.MichaelFurey-AlthoughonlymentionedbyGrettaasaboyfromheryouth,heisnonethelessvitaltotheclimacticepiphanyofthework.Heisdeadwhenthestorytakesplace.pointofview·Objectiveinformation;characterspresentedastheywouldappeartoanoutsider;thoughtsandactionsfromtheprotagonists’pointsofview,asenseofwhatthecharactersarefeeling.tone·Theabundanceofdetailsaboutthegrim(sad)realitiesofthecityandthefocusonhardshipscreateatragictoneandofferasubtlecritique.tense·Pasttensemajorconflict·CharactersstrugglewithchallengesofcomplicatedrelationshipsandlifeinDublin.Themes/motifs·Routine;thedesireforescape;theintersectionoflifeanddeath;paralysis;epiphany;betrayal;religion;poverty,isolation,acountrydivided,theCatholicChurch,classdifferences/socialroles.symbols·Windows;duskandnighttime;food;snowMainideas/SymbolsEpiphany:asudden,intuitiveperceptionoftherealityoressentialmeaningofsomething,usuallyinitiatedbysomesimple,homely,orcommonplaceoccurrenceorexperience.Poverty/classdifferences:incidentwithhousekeeperLily;heraccentandbackanswerrelatedtoherlovelife.Gabriel’ssolutionforconflictthroughmoney.Gabriel’ssnobbishnessassuminghisaudiencemightnotunderstandhisdinnerspeech.Isolation:Gabrielfindingouthiswife,Gretta,haskeptthemostimportanteventofherlifefromhim(MichaelFurey’sdevotion);Gabrielrealizinghislackofclosenesstoanotherhumanbeing,lackofintimacywithhiswife.Gabriel’ssolitudebyreferringtoabetterstateoutsidehisauntsdinnerparty(desireforescape).Countrydivided:incidentwithMissIvors,adeepnationalistandGabrielbeingreferredtoasaWestBritonornon-nationalist.Gabriel’ssuddenlossofcontrolthroughinadequateanswertoMissIvors’sharpcommentsabouthim.TheCatholicChurch:Popeexcludingwomenfromchoir,AuntJulia’smainlife.AuntKatecomplainingbutacceptingthefactthePopemustberight.Mr.Brownerepresentingtheoppositereligiousside(Protestant).Lifeanddeath:storybeginningnotconnectedtothetitle.Storyeventsleadingtoeitherdeadoralivepeople:Aunts’age,Gabriel’smother’smemories,UnclePat,dinnerspeech,Gretta'sconfession(storyclimax).Routine/paralysis(stateofnumbness):annualdinnerevent,sameeverything:people,place,dinnerspeaker,dance,food,Freddy’sdrunkenness,horsestorySocialroles:Gabriel’srestrainedbehavior,reputation,andfamilycaretaker:Amanofauthorityandcaution.Hisconfidencechallengedbyencounterswiththreewomen.Gabriel’sspeechdepictsthedivisionbetweenthepastofthedeadandthepresentoftheliving.Betrayshimselfhonoringthepastanddeath,rejectingthemandembracingthepresent.Bothendsconnectedthroughhospitalityattheparty.MichaelFurey’smemorymakespast-presentdivisionfalse.Hismemoryisstillpresentafterdeath.Epiphany/divisionoflifeanddeath:Gabriel’sawakeningfromhisnumbandcoldlife.AfterGretta’sconfession,hefeelsangry,jealous,andthenatpeace.RealizedhehasneverexperiencedMichael’sachingtypeoftruelove,butadesiretocontrolGretta.MessageGabrielreflectsonhisowncontrolled,passionlesslife;realizeslifeisshort,andthosewhoexperiencegreatpassionlikeMichaelFurey,livemorefullythanpeoplelikehimself.ThesnowsuggestsasenseofnumbnessinGabriel’scharacter.Heisliterallyfrigidtoemotionbutsoiseverybody.ThesnowdoesnotfallonlyoutsideofGabriel’swindow;coversMichaelFurey’sgrave,thosepeoplestillliving,andtheentirecountryofIreland..Inotherwords,everyone,everywhere,isasnumbandinfrozenparalysisasheis.Gabriel’sthoughtsandawakeningsuggestthelivingmightbeabletofreethemselvesfromdullroutinesandthepast.Evensnowcannotlastforever.ThestoryleavesanopenendingandthepossibilitythatGabrielmightchangehisattitudeandembracelife.However,hewilleventuallyjointhedeadandmaynotberememberedafterdeath.