Introduction
The broad issue raised in the literature text is denialism, where life is lived without passion. The writer depicts a joyful Christmas celebration full of dancing and laughter. Nevertheless, given that the story is titled “The Dead,” this is peculiar and a strong indication that something is wrong. Dublin, an Irish city, was home to an affluent upper-class society in the early 20th century. It depicts the characters’ miserable existence, hiding behind social habits and their entrapment.
Using symbolism, the author compares the characters’ unnatural methods of covering reality and how snow naturally covers the ground. Therefore, the narration recollects the individual and collective tragedy of the Irish people, and its problems become obscured in many ways.
There are times when participants fail to recognize actual problems that have an impact on their lives. For instance, nobody present acknowledges Freddy’s alcoholism as a problem that requires urgent attention, yet it affects them. Rather than confront him, they stay away and pretend everything is fine. The characters try to sidestep the topic once more later, as the theological argument is getting heated. They ultimately pledge to “finish the discussion afterward” (Joyce 205), which they know is untrue, when a delicate topic of discussion comes up. As a result, Gabriel leads the group as they approach the supper table, “ready to carve a flock of geese” (Joyce 206). They are spared from having to talk about things they feel unpleasant about anymore due to tradition. It is far simpler for them to deny reality and exist in a world where the goose’s carvings are more significant than everything else.
How the Issue Is a Problem That Needs Solution
Numerous societal issues that are discussed, like drunkenness and religion, are issues that the Irish people have long struggled with. However, the people disregarded these concerns in the same manner as the characters disregarded indications of these problems in their day-to-day existence. Gabriel reports that four men in the doorway who had gone to the refreshment area returned when the piano stopped playing, clapping loudly when Mary Jane played a solo for the group on the piano.
The way these people clap indicates that they are not paying attention to the performance, which features characters who appear alive but are actually dead. In the psychology of human behavior, a person’s choice to deny reality to avoid uncomfortable truth is called denialism (Guimarães and Moreira). Most characters think they have undergone a life-changing experience, but nothing has changed, and they will probably relapse into their old habits.
People often get swept up in moments that they think will define their lives and change their outlook forever. Nevertheless, it is often harder to change individual ways due to one moment in life. Therefore, people live in denial and lack interest in matters core to social life and coexistence. For example, the four men clapping with the soloist singer result from normalized denialism that has forced people to acknowledge effort because they should do so, but not out of passion. It nurtures a society full of deceit and sometimes mischievousness as people become more afraid of the truth.
Evidence That It Is a Real Problem
Kate and Julia Morkin, in the literature, represent the Irish hospitality by throwing a party. The two live in the upper-class area, but they talk about having to do some jobs, such as giving piano and music lessons, and show they have to scrape by to get some money. The fact that their niece Mary Grimes is described as the breadwinner and helps fund some things for the family shows they had fallen despite living in the town’s upper class. Kate and Julia belong to the foster money lineage because they can no longer afford the lives of the haves, but they are spending money to put on the façade of lots of wealth while they do not necessarily have the wealth to sustain it. The purpose of people working themselves to the extreme to put on a wealthy outlook while it is nonexistent is a result of denialism, which affects most people in the society described by the author.
Gabriel’s interaction with hospitality in terms of marriage with the two sisters is another evidence of the denialism that persists in this society. For example, Gabriel thinks he can get along with the lower social class and even put those social standards of being in love and married onto other people. There is paralysis to some level, with him unable to connect, but he does not acknowledge the mistake and moves on quickly. He is putting this construct of love and marriage onto other people while he struggles in his marriage with intimacy and understanding of his wife at the end of the novel. In addition, most characters in the set are holding on to the past and not facing the modern way of life many Irish people faced then.
Who the Problem Impacts
The primary character, Gabriel Conroy, focuses more on how others see him than on himself. Therefore, the thought that another man loved his wife enough to give his life for her terrifies him. He feels isolated due to the realization that mortality waits for all people, and he has not given the ultimate sacrifice to Michael Furey. Gabriel comes to the abrupt realization that he has never known a passion for which he would die, that his wife is a unique person with her personal experiences and that he has played a minor part in her life. He experiences a startling sense of the afterlife and witnesses his existence slipping into this “gray impalpable world,” meaningless.
It brings a sad reality that life is not about social class and earthly possessions but passionate love and appreciation for the little things like sacrifices people make for others. Gabriel learns that Michael is still alive in Gretta’s heart, even though he may have been dead and buried for years. His lack of passion kept him from ever holding the same place in Gretta’s heart as Michael despite his yearning and desire to possess her.
The problem of denialism also affects Freddy, Kate, Julia, and the Irish people in general. Freddy Malkins has a drinking problem, but the issue cannot be discussed because people are afraid of the truth. Therefore, he continues the habit the same way as the Irish people who continue to ignore existing problems like alcoholism, and the circle continues without any significant progress. Julia and Kate are forced to live beyond their means to sustain class status. Therefore, they are forced to work extra hard to retain their perception in society rather than own up and live an affordable and decent lifestyle.
Ethical Issues Related to Denialism
Deceptions are not necessarily malign because they are sometimes vital for people to co-exist peacefully. Gabriel’s attitude towards the low social class raises ethical concerns as to the dignity and respect accorded to the economically disadvantaged in society. For example, when Gabriel realizes that imposing his idea of love and marriage on the working class is insensitive, he opts to tip Lily for the offensive remark. He thinks the rich can always pay the poor for demeaning acts to make it subside without apologizing or showing gratitude. It rings true in contemporary society, where the rich get by with grave crimes while the poor are prosecuted for lesser crimes. (De Courson and Nettle 4)
Gabriel extends the behavior even towards the wife, where he only has lust for her, which is construed as love. At the novel’s end, Gabriel realizes that a boy, although dead, had a real passionate love for his wife, which he could not offer despite being alive.
Thinking the super-educated are far above ordinary educated people is a class stratification, which only serves to disintegrate the community rather than unite them. While thinking about the speech he will deliver, Gabriel ponders over whether the audience will comprehend some of the quotes he will use. It indicates the educated despised others based on intellectual capacity, which is morally wrong. For instance, he realizes that he had dedicated his entire life to avoiding humiliation and obtaining an education far above that of those around him, which was not helpful. Alcoholism is another ethical issue in the literature, where people choose not to intervene in other people’s affairs despite the social problems affecting them. Although deception is sometimes necessary for people to co-exist peacefully, withholding the truth from someone suffering from alcohol is itself immoral. It shows a lack of concern for other people’s welfare.
Why I Care About the Problem
Grouping of individuals in hierarchies based on socioeconomic factors, including wealth, income, occupation, education, and social network, persists today. I believe it is the root cause of people struggling to belong or impress others while sacrificing a lot of their resources or living beyond their means. Wu et al. claim that discrimination, a significant stressor, impairs the mental health of those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds by encouraging more ruminative thought (1). Feelings of superiority to people lower on the class spectrum than oneself can sometimes cause insensitivity and lack of touch with reality, like in the case of Gabriel. Based on the analysis of James’ piece, denialism appears to crop from classism, which is so much valued in society for members to realize its negative effect on their progress.
Another reason to care about the problem is alcoholism, a social problem ignored by others because it is perceived as an individual problem. For example, the host of the party fears Freddy will arrive “screwed,” meaning drunk. Freddy is their friend, but they are afraid to approach him about alcoholism, which also affects them because they are worried that his behavior can ruin the party. While our society’s permissive attitude encourages the use of alcohol in several ways, addiction is a social stigma that should worry anyone close to the user.
Why Readers Should Care About the Problem
The fall of Gabriel’s’ character from the realization of life’s unfolding is a testament to the routine lifestyle of many people. From the story, one realizes the setting is upper class, but the people are not, hiding behind the conventions of their society. The events of the Christmas party depict characters that are all seemingly alive, yet on the inside, are very much dead. It helps the readers realize the true aspect of society, where many people pretend to be okay yet are suffering internally. Many of the social issues, such as alcoholism, marriage, love, class stratification, and discrimination, are patient societal problems. An important lesson from the text is that imperfection exists in any community, and people should learn to embrace it to live a fulfilling life. An ideal example to learn from is Gabriel, who is accomplished economically and academically yet cannot express passion toward his wife.
The authors claim that a new generation actuated with ideas is coming up, but they fear they may lack those qualities of humanity, hospitality, or humor that belonged to the older day despite being educated. Therefore, looking forward, societies should not forget about the intelligence and elegance that brought them to their current status and, most importantly, hospitality. Readers learn to relate how a community, although consisting of varying social classes, must collectively practice humility and take on their problems instead of ignoring them. For example, alcohol usage has adverse social and economic effects that extend beyond its users to those in their immediate vicinity and the larger community. Drawing from the story, readers can learn the importance of passion, being truthful in daily life choices, and how they counter social problems.
Works Cited
De Courson, Benoît, and Daniel Nettle. “Why Do Inequality and Deprivation Produce High Crime and Low Trust?” Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1. 2021, pp. 1–11. Web.
Guimarães, Raphael, and Marcelo Moreira. “How Does the Context Effect of Denialism Reinforce the Oppression of the Vulnerable People and Negatively Determine Health?” The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, vol. 12. 2022, p. 100270. Web.
Joyce, James. “The Dead.” Dubliners, Penguin Books, 1914, pp. 175–223.
Wu, Jia, et al. “Social Class-Based Discrimination and Psychological Symptoms among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged College Students: The Moderated Mediation Role of Stress Mindset and Rumination.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 13, 2022, pp. 1–9. Web.