Reading Notes W 12: Joyce:The Dead, Part B

James Joyce experiments with narrative form helped to define the major literary movements of the century, from modernism to postmodernism. By developing methods of tracing individual consciousness, Joyce, along with Marcel Proust and Virginia Woolf, helped us to understand the functioning of the human mind. Several aspects of “The Dead” recall—and transmute—elements in Joyce’s life. “The Dead” is divided into three parts, chronicling the stages of the Misses Morkan’s party and also the stages by which Gabriel Conroy moves from the rather pompous, insecure, and externally oriented figure of the beginning to a man who has been forced to reassess himself and human relationships at the end. The story "The Dead" bu author James Joyce starts off at the annual dance and dinner party held by Kate and Julia Morkan and their young niece, Mary Jane Morkan, the housemaid Lily frantically greets guests. Set at or just before the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which celebrates the manifestation of Christ’s divinity to the Magi, the party draws together a variety of relatives and friends. Kate and Julia particularly await the arrival of their favorite nephew, Gabriel Conroy, and his wife, Gretta.  When they arrive, Gabriel attempts to chat with Lily as she takes his coat, but she snaps in reply to his question about her love life. Gabriel and his aunt discuss their decision to stay at a hotel that evening rather than make the long trip home.The party continues with a piano performance by Mary Jane. More dancing follows, which finds Gabriel paired up with Miss Ivors, a fellow university instructor. Miss begins to ask him a whole lot of question then she start to criticize him based on his answers. Later on Gabriel gives a speech to thank many people for there help in the event today as well many other table conversation happen. After that he bids his guest a good farewell and continues to have a conversation with his wife about the day. After talking for a while Gabriel grows irritated by Gretta’s behavior She does not seem to share his romantic inclinations, and in fact bursts into tears. Gretta confesses that she has been thinking of the song from the party because a former lover had sung it to her in her youth in Galway. This makes Gabriel question himself as well as other things around them.