James Joyce's The Dead
... sense, all the characters in the story are already dead, locked within their own stratum. They drink wine and celebrate as in The Last Supper, celebrating their health, long life, happiness, and prosperity. The theme here almost suggests death. Gabriel does not exist in any of the conversations, as if he is paralyzed. In fact the first question addressed to Gabriel in the beginning of the story is “Is it snowing again, Mr. Conroy? asked Lily" (Joyce 2026). The snow addresses a cold, frozen life that Gabriel could view through the "rims of his glasses which screened his delicate and restless eyes" (Joyce 2027). Gabriel tries to start a warm conversation with Lily, but she is cold towards his remarks. Her bitterness leaves him "coloured as if he had made a mistake" (Joyce 2027). His character is discomposed and undecided. Gabriel seems to become more nervous towards everyone just because he has failed with Lily. The only way Gabriel can react to Lily is to give her some money and thus assert his own, higher position to himself. In order for him to mask his insecurity, he has convinced himself that he is superior to others. In doing so, Gabriel has always been able to keep his emotions well hidden. Just as everyone is about to leave, Gabriel notices his wife, Gretta, at the top of the stairs listening to a tune that Bartell D'Arcy is singing to the piano. The song is expressed with grief and is a part from The Lass of Aughrim: O, the rain falls of my heavy locks And the dew wets my skin, My babe lies cold... (Joyce 2048) Seeing everyone at the door, they say their good-night's as if they are never going to see each other again or as if they are passing on to another world. With Gabriel's eyes bright of happiness he walks with his wife in search of a cab as he reminisces of "tender fires of star moments of their life together that no one knew of or would ever know" (Joyce 2050) All he wanted to do while walking with his wife was run up to her and grab her and hold her, but he couldn't. His passion for her was alive, but dying second by second due to his inability to respond to his inner emotions. He referred to his words as "dull and cold," just as himself (Joyce 2050). "The snow was general all over Ireland and there was no escaping it", the snow representing death (Joyce 2049). As they passed O'Connell Bridge, Gabriel pointed out a statue on which lay patches of snow. Miss O' Callaghan said that "you never cross O'Connell Bridge without seeing a white horse"(Joyce 2051). Ironically, this symbolically reminds me of a white rose that one would see at a funeral. The white rose symbolizes a new life, but it is also the symbol of death. Irony is prevalent near the ending as Gabriel fails at seducing his wife through much meditation on the cab ride home. As the porter led them to their room in darkness with only a candle to light the way, Gabriel insists for it to be taken away because he does not want any light. Gabriel is dark and unfulfilled with what life has brought him. Gretta tells Gabriel of her first love, Michael Furey, which triggers "fires of lust to glow angrily in his veins"(Joyce 2054). It seems the only true passion that he had in his life was for Gretta, and when it becomes apparent to him that her lust for him is dead, he is silently furious. Gabriel refers to Michael as a delicate boy compared to his big, strong self. Gretta compares Michael Furey's eyes as "big dark eyes with such an expression in them-an expression!" (Joyce 2054). Her eyes made Gabriel feel awkward. The image of the eye is a mirror to the soul. Gretta could see Furey's eyes even when he was about to die in the rain. When the snow (death) taps on the window, it calls Gabriel to pay attention, and then it mesmerizes him. Gabriel experiences a life changing epiphany as he realizes that his world is not what it seems. As he gazed out of the window at the falling snow, I felt as if he was being haunted by the dead or consumed by the thought of Gretta’s lost love. Perhaps he felt betrayed by her, her betrayal only sealing the thoughts of going westward. Maybe he wants to go westward and escape Ireland because Gretta’s dead love haunts Ireland. Gabriel may feel that in order to escape Gretta’s betrayal he needs to leave Ireland. On the other hand he is brought to the realization that "snow", or Michael or perhaps betraya...