The role of Freddy Malin’s character in James Joyce’s The Dead
...h this statement comes from, we get the first indication of Gabriel being a trustworthy and likeable character as compared to Freddy, who is unreliable and seemingly, a trouble-maker. Later, when Freddy finally arrived, the pair is linked together again by Miss Kate, who was worried about Freddy’s condition and reassured by Gabriel’s presence—‘“It’s such a relief… that Gabriel is here. I always feel easier in my mind when he’s here…”’ The comparison between Freddy and Gabriel in the story was not created to offer us new insights on the character of Gabriel. Instead, the comparison existed so we can appreciate those character traits of Gabriel, which we have already inferred from elsewhere in the story, more deeply. From the point Freddy came into the house, we see his casualness in his interaction with people when he ‘bade the Misses Morkan good-evening in what seemed an offhand fashion by reason of the habitual catch in his voice…’ This same ease around people and frankness of behaviour were displayed again when he was telling his joke to Mr Browne with explosive and generous laughter, and when he was ‘acting as officer with his fork on high’ during a song at dinner time. Freddy’s ease and comfort in interacting with others reminds us of and contrasts with Gabriel’s uneasiness and discomfort in interacting with Lily and Miss Ivors. This contrast causes Gabriel’s failure in his interaction with the two women to become more apparent and greater in degree in the minds of the readers. The result is that the emasculation of Gabriel by the women becomes more effective. Another difference between the characters of Freddy and Gabriel is their perspectives towards conflicts with others. Freddy did not shy away from conflicts and was not afraid of challenging people directly with his words. He is probably a person who sees conflicts as a natural part of interaction with people. During dinner, he challenged the table and suggested that they were being discriminating—‘“And why couldn’t he have a voice too?” Asked Freddy Malins sharply. “Is it because he’s only a black?”’ If Gabriel had been in Freddy’s shoes he would not have asked the question, for he is a person who is disturbed, awkward and nervous in the face of conflicts with others. We see that when he committed a social mistake by asking Lily an intruding question which he had no right to ask, he ‘coloured as if he felt he had made a mistake and, without looking at her, kicked off his galoshes and flicked away actively with his muffler at his patent-leather shoes.’ Similarly, when he was jokingly accused of being inadequately nationalistic by Miss Ivors, ‘Gabriel tried to cover his agitation by taking part in the dance with great energy. He avoided her eyes for he had seen a sour expression on her face.’ His great pride was injured by Mis...