The Dead By James Joyce Symbolism

James Joyce’s stories are usually filled with the main characters having some type of revelation about death but usually it is too late to change. In “The Dead” the main character, Gabriel, has this revelation but he is still alive to make this change. That’s what makes this story different from the others. In this paper I will explain my understanding of the work, symbolism, the connection between Michael Furey and Gabriel, and of course the revelation in this work. Before we depict our characters, let’s look into symbolism. Symbolism plays a major role throughout the story. Death is everywhere. It is in the names, the people and the environment. Like the picture of Romeo and Juliet. Everyone knows the story of them but how does it connect

He has an image to obtain. He is a professor of literature and is held to a high stature. Maybe this is why he is so respected by the aunts and cousins. But he needed a taste of reality. He had these tastes fixed at least twice times in this story. One when he had his “talk” with Lily.” He asks her about her love life and if she plans to be married soon. Lily was unappreciative to this statement and told him off. Gabriel then gives her money as if that was supposed to fix things. I saw this as him trying to gain control of the situation. Fail in my eyes though. Two was when he was trying to talk to Miss Ivors. She made him feel as if he was a traitor to his people by calling him a “West Briton.” This is apparently an insult. This talk doesn’t sit well with him and makes him reflect on her words. Gabriel feels that what is done in the past should stay in the past. Also those things done in the past should not affect the future. When Gabriel hears the song, he lusts for Gretta. It didn’t make him think of his love for her but what he wanted to do to and with her. And he misconstrued what she felt. When Gretta hears the song and becomes out of her element, it is because she is thinking about Michael Furey, Gabriel realizes that the past does haunt you in a way. You hold on to things and they help define you as a person. Gabriel sees that the memory of the dead can live on. Just because you die, doesn’t mean that the memory of your existence