The Dead James Joyce Death Analysis

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Death has long been a major theme of literature. Whether death literally, figuratively, or symbolically, death drives plots, destroys plans and forces characters to see themselves in a completely different way. James Joyce’s story looks at death from both angles. The title can be misleading because it sounds like a horror novel, but it is actually a poignant look at the human condition and the lives that people lead. Death, both figurative and literal is the central theme of James Joyce’s The Dead. The first example of characters being dead occurs very early in the story. The attitude that characters have towards each other and the way the act is very fake and unrealistic. The characters are very kind to each other but the sense that they care about no one but themselves is very obvious. The characters are much like zombies acting only on instinct and not on any type of real emotion. Everyone seems to want what it best for themselves and nothing else. The characters believe that everyone should be nice to each other for the sake of being nice. It is in this way that many of the characters are dead. They
Gabriel wants to leave Ireland and feels that it is killing him, but he is not strong enough to leave. Gabriel essentially is a coward who cannot do anything he wants to. He lives his life day to day, never venturing out to try anything new. Gabriel lives behind a pseudonym when he writes because he does not want people to know that he sides with England. Gabriel knows that he is dead and is going to give a speech that tells everyone how he feels. However, Gabriel gives a speech that is all about dead things and everyone once again is very polite about it. Gabriel is used in the story to symbolize what everyone is feeling but is afraid to say. Everyone is living from day to day and being polite just to be polite and that is the thing that seems to infuriate Gabriel the

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