Analysis of The Dead

1. Is there in The Dead a moment of epiphany?

Yes, there is. The epiphany moment is when Gabriel realizes he have lived a passive life and it is activated by the Irish song listened by Gretta at the end of the party.

2. What happens to Gabriel when he sees Gretta on the stairs?

He understands his wife is moved by the song but he can't understand why. When they're at the hotel he understands his wife have never been so moved for him and will never be loved like Michael Fury. His love isn't furious, he hasn' passion.

Gabriel's name remands to the archangel Gabriel, it is a connection to divinity and religion.

Snow: it covers everything and hide reality

3. What does Joyce do to strike the reader's attention?

Joyce uses the interior monologue, he adopts the point of view of Gabriel Conroy, he tells the story as if it were inside the character consciousness. He also uses the narrator who connects reality. Joyce wants the reader to understand there's a meaning beyond the surface of the word.

In the speech Gabriel try to convince the audience that life is made by lot of memories and invite them to go on living. Go on living is easy but Gabrield does not do it.

"L'essere umano, anche il più geniale, è sempre un essere umano e sono le sue paure, le sue debolezze a renderlo tale" (quotation)

4. How is Gretta's characterization made?

She's seen from Gabriel's point of view. He loves her mor than she loves him, he looks ike her mother. Gabriel books two night at the hotel because he wants to pass a romantic moment with his wife but he's not sure about her love.