Introduction
“The Dead” is a short story that was written by an Irish novelist James Joyce. It is a part of a collection named “Dubliners”. The author is best known for his use of dramatically different literary styles and narratives. This piece is an excellent example of usage of such techniques.
Analysis
The novelist makes sure that the theme of death is present throughout the whole piece. The descriptions of objects and dialogues are used to create the feeling of darkness and uneasiness. The colors also play a significant role, and they enhance the overall atmosphere of the story. It can be said that an absolute meaning and deepness are present in every line of this piece (Maher par. 5). The author explains the lives of the characters, and it becomes evident that there is some similarity between them.
Their actions and behavior can only be described as unenthusiastic. It seems like they are stuck in a particular state, and there is no way out. They do not see another choice but to continue on with their lives without attempting to make any changes (Ostrander 61). All of them lack motivation, and it can be said that they are actually frozen.
They are in a state that precedes death because they are not able to achieve happiness. It is paramount to address the fact that this collection was written during an extremely stressful period in the life of the author, and it has reflected in the content (Rendall 269). The way the author moves from another perspective to another is truly astounding. It creates an incredible effect and allows the story to flow very smoothly. Joyce wanted to recreate the feeling of the parties that were popular at that time.
Certain events take place in different rooms, but everyone who is present will most likely know what has happened and will discuss it with each other. The novelist moves the story forward by describing corridors and movements of characters. Joyce also uses music as a way for a reader to get a better understanding of the setting and overall mood of the story. One could listen to some of the songs during the reading to comprehend the picture that is being painted by the author.
Some may say that this approach takes away the originality of the work and the world that is being described. However, it makes it much more realistic, and this is what the novelist tried to achieve. It is also interesting that there is an opinion that framed images that are described in this piece play a significant role in the overall story and can be viewed as ekphrasis (Monterrey 62). It is indeed true, and each of them represents a particular section of this piece.
There are other examples of deeper meaning. For example, a circular movement that was made by the central character could be viewed as a symbol of life. However, it illustrates the lack of progress and repetition of same tasks that was common at that time. The author raises major topics in this work. The main character tries to understand who is truly dead. The descriptions of feelings of uncertainness are used by the author to criticize Dubliners including himself.
Every single person that was present at that party was merely a shell, and the boy that has died is actually remembered. In my opinion, Joyce has ended this story perfectly with this phrase: “his soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and dead” (321). In other words, the author wanted the reader to imagine this picture and understand the feelings of the hero. The snow represents changes.
The novelist believed that they are coming very soon for the people of his country, and he wanted to end the story on an interesting note. However, the views of readers on this subject matter are often different. Some think that the snow is cleansing, but there are opinions that it is a cloak of death. It is also paramount to say that the fact that this story is the last in the collection is definitely not a coincidence, and it is another example of the author’s unique approach.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this is truly a masterpiece and one of the best works of the author. Joyce addresses numerous topics that most are afraid to because they are worried about the adverse reaction of readers. He criticized the behavior of people in that century, their shallowness, and emptiness.
It can be seen that the story is incredibly realistic because it is based on the writer’s experience from his own life (Lavin par. 26). He used numerous techniques to make sure that the reader is able to experience the emotions of the characters. Overall, this piece is truly revolutionary, and it has had an enormous influence on other writers over the years.
Works Cited
Joyce, James. Dubliners: And Chamber Music. 1914. Auckland, NZ: The Floating Press, 2010. Print.
Lavin, John. Epiphanies – On Joyce’s “The Dead”. 2013. Web.
Maher, Kevin. A Gut-Punch of Sadness in James Joyce’s “Dubliners”. 2013. Web.
Monterrey, Tomás. “Framed Images as Counterpoints in James Joyce’s “The Dead”.” Journal of the Spanish Association of Anglo-American Studies 33.2 (2011): 61-74. Print.
Ostrander, Luke B. “The Paralytic Affect in James Joyce’s “The Dead.” Eureka Studies in Teaching Short Fiction 7.2 (2010): 61-66. Print.
Rendall, Thomas. “Joyce’s “The Dead” and the Midlife Crisis.” Joyce Studies Annual 10.1 (2010): 263-272. Print.