A part of James Joyce’s “Dubliners,” “The Dead” tells a story of a highly conflicted protagonist who struggles to embrace change and especially the urgency, to be honest with himself about his integrity. Set in 1910s Dublin, the narrative addresses the complexity of Ireland’s politics and the conflict between unionists and loyalists. Although Gabriel remains indecisive in his wavering between his job and personal beliefs, the eventual resolution leaves him embracing self-knowledge and setting him on a journey to the further discovery of the self.
Remarkably, Gabriel is portrayed as a lone figure in the story, despite being married and seemingly having a rather robust social life. As a result, Gabriel strives for something new and exciting that will make his life more inspiring. For instance, his “secret life” with Gretta and the idea that “they had escaped from their lives and duties” appears to be especially exciting to him (Joyce). However, after examining the reasons behind his actions further, Gabriel realizes that his yearning for cheap excitement stems from his lack of understanding of his true self: “His soul swooned softly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling” (Joyce). Thus, the change that the character experiences allows him to distance himself even further from the titular and metaphorical dead, therefore, embracing the meaning of his journey.
Despite being quite meandering in its nature, Gabriel’s character development resolves in a satisfactory shift toward embracing his true self and recognizing the need to change, which allows him to reconcile with his personal beliefs. Questioning the nature and meaning of life, Gabriel manages to distance himself from the “dead,” thus, stating his journey. Therefore, the story demonstrates a unique transformation of a complex character.
Work Cited
Joyce, James. “The Dead.” Online Literature, 1914.