Gaddi Lisa 5B as 2012-2013                                                              7-01-13

Analysis of “The Dead”, Dubliners, James Joyce.

“The dead” is the last of the 15 short stories in which Dubliners, by James Joyce is organised into.The story takes place at the annual dance and party held by Julia and Kate Morgan. Their housemaid, the young Lily, has the duty to greet guests taking them to the changing room. When Gabriel Conroy, Julia and Kate’s nephew and his wife Gretta arrive, Lily immediately welcomes the gentelman who attempts a conversation with her about her love life. But the young lady gives an oustanding answer, Gabriel remains shoked and keeps out of the situation giving Lily a generous tip. Nevertheless this experience makes him uncofortable and anxious for the rest of the night. Right from the beginning J.Joyce makes the reader understand that Gabriel, the real protagonist of the story, is a controverse character. He doesn’t accept people who stands against him, and the conversation with Miss Ivors is the perfect example. Indeed, when Miss Ivors accuses him to be a West Briton he doesn’t know how to reply, and he ends up answering aggresively and rudely. So, it is possible to understand how Gabriel personality is undefined and unreliable. Furthermore, also the dinner speech could be considered an intersting moment to analise. During the speech Gabriel thanks Julia, Kate and Mary Jane for their hospitality, which was commonly undervalued in that period. Moreover he underlines that people should focus on present and livings and no longer think about dead and past. From these words the writer wants the readers to understand that the protagonist has a precise view of life which is not able to follow though. Indeed the story ends up with Gabriel thinking about a dead person, Michael Furey, Gretta’s dead boyfriend. Gabriel is jealous of him, not because he used to be with his wife, but because he loved her more than Gabriel could ever do.

In this last story J.Joyce decides to use a third omniscient intrusive narrator. The whole episode developes just in one night, so the rhytm of the narration is fast with a lot of small events happening. There are many dialogues which make the story more interesting and easier to follow.At the same time there are some other moments in which the reader is led to reflect and think about what is written, rather than just following the narration.

In this last chapter the writers stops on important themes such as the division between life and death, past and present and how present is influenced by past people and events.