The Dead (from Dubliners), written by James Joyce, is a really deep and heartfelt novel that explores the identity of one, the connection to their country, and the thought of death. Gabriel and his wife, Gretta, are attending a Christmas party hosted by Kate and Julia Morkan, Gabriel’s aunts. There, he meets Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, Miss Ivors, a colleague of his, and finds out a bit more of Gretta’s past. Gabriel also reveals his anti-nationalism towards Ireland. Throughout the story, James Joyce expresses many universal themes that can be found in daily life. Gabriel is a man, who faces many deaths in his life, has lasting impacts from women, and is disgusted by his own country. Gabriel faces the harsh realities of life, and how every moment, another human being’s soul is turned into ashes, ashes that fall into the white snow outside, another being dead.
Death is a complicated word. The dead are not always dead, and the alive are often already dead. The alive, sometimes, turn dead after a death, too There are three types of dead: the real dead (in a coffin), the walking dead, and the dying. These three all have different classifications. In The Dead, there are four people mentioned that are actually dead, 2 people mentioned that are the walking dead, and 1 person mentioned that is dying. These people all differ from each other, but the similar thing that they share is that they all have a connection with death. The walking dead, Mr. Browne and Freddy Malins as alcoholic people who are often drunk and dizzy. They are not in immediate health danger, but they are in such a confused state so much that they are as good as dead. The dying, Aunt Julia, is an inevitable condition of age. The deaths or coming deaths of the family also lead to decline of society, as the deaths slowly take over and start to affect their lives. The loss of Patrick Morkan leads to the move from the original Morkan house to the new Morkan house (the sisters). The grief and pain that is left behind could have been an obstacle if they had stayed. The deaths affect the living even more because they have to stay to endure it, while the dead have already passed on. It can also change how a person perceives things, places, people after a death. Life always ends at some point, but it really just depends on if you are willing to live it to its extent, or shorten it.
Women are not background stickers. They are the front-line fighters, daring, blunt, cunning, and a woman. Women are not the weak, marriage bound stereotype given to them by society. They can be impactful, powerful, and honest. Most of the time, men are the ones that feel their wrath. They always make a lasting impact. In the story, Gabriel gets three lessons from three different women: First, it is the maid, Lily. Then, Miss. Ivors, a colleague of Gabriel, and finally, Gretta, Gabriel’s own wife. When Gabriel arrives, Lily takes his jacket, and the two engage in light conversation. However, Gabriel brings up the subject of marriage to Lily, and it turns cold. Gabriel jokes that women have nothing to do but wait for a suitor, while Lily blames him for being a man, and says that all men these days are “...now all a palaver…” During the party, Gabriel gets to dance with Miss Ivors, his colleague. Miss Ivors asks Gabriel if he feels ashamed of writing for a newspaper that criticizes Ireland. Miss Ivors blames him for not loving his country, which Gabriel first tries to hide, but in the end, he reveals that he is tired of his country and thinks that the rest of Europe is better. Gretta tells Gabriel about her first love, Michael, who died at 17 because he wasn’t able to be with Gretta. These three women, though they might not be the main characters, still have an impactful and important role on the characters during the story. Men aren’t the only beings in this world, women are strong, resilient, and just as capable. Their honesty, bluntness, and impact should not be new news.
Your country is your home. It has provided for you,and kept you under its roof. What harm will it do to be grateful to it? What good will come to be ungrateful towards it? A constant unpatriotic attitude will only lead to harm. Your country may not have to be your favorite place in the world. But still, have you not eaten its food? Your patriotism towards your country is your thanks for its service. Gabriel is really ungrateful towards his country in the book. He is anti-nationalistic, and thinks that all countries are better than Ireland. He is very disapproving, and unwilling to open up another side of viewpoint about the matter. Gabriel writes in a column of a newspaper that criticizes Ireland, his support for Europe growing. He likes British plays better, utilizes foreign tools more, and is more willing to visit other countries like Belgium than learn about his country of Ireland. He is sick of the country, is ungrateful, and only points out the flaws. The anti-nationalism that Gabrtiel possesses is almost overwhelming. Gabriel has absolutely no patriotism and just wants to escape and live elsewhere. He doesn’t realize how much the country has done for him, but only realizes what he can’t have from it. Gabriel’s anti-nationalism towards Ireland is what starts many problems with other characters in the story. You don’t have to be actively involved in your country, make a big impact or whatsoever. All you have to do is be willing to pay back what you have taken from it.
The Dead (from Dubliners) written by James Joyce is truly a heartfelt novel about the realities of death, patriotism, and the impact of females. Through many revealed deaths, examples of the walking dead, and an inference about dying, readers learned about the true meaning of death, and how it can cause the decline of society. Gabriel, in the story, also learns about how big of an impact that women can make on society, what role they play, and how they play it. Patriotism and anti-nationalism is also an important part of the story, with Gabriel hating his home country, Ireland, and wanting to just visit other countries, thinking that they are better than Irish places. The themes expressed in this story are so universal that it is almost impossible for someone to have no relationship to them at all. James Joyce, in The Dead, really writes a story filled with themes, rich characters, and a tangling plot fit for all readers to enjoy and learn valuable lessons from.
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