Entering the Modern World: T.S. Eliot and James Joyce
Gabriel Conroy is ostentatious, insecure, and socially awkward citizen in the modern wasteland. Mr. Conroy, like many natives, of the wasteland is plagued by the dreadfulness of everyday living. Gabriel tries to portray himself as outgoing but he isn’t, he is easily intimidated by people. He appears to loves his wife but is bewildered by the lack of control he has over her. He later learns there’s much he doesn’t know about her past. It would appear that Gabriel is unsure of himself and his relationships. Gabriel advises people to live in the now but often catches himself preoccupied with the stories of yesterday.
Spring generally marks the end of gloomy winter and a regeneration of all things that were once beautiful; but for the inhabitants of the modern wasteland it is quite the opposite. There is an overall melancholy theme depicted amongst most people that we encounter. The inhabitants are miserable and they would rather the snow bury their happy formative years. They yearn for winter’s blanket to prevent their despondency from being revealed. “Winter kept us warm, covering earth in forgetful snow” (Eliot 205). The people prefer being buried in their sorrows instead of experiencing the newness of life that spring brings. “April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain” (Eliot 205).
In obdurate situations, Gabriel, unlike real men tucks his tail between his legs. Upon arriving at his aunt’s party speaks out of turn about the Lily the maid’s non existing fiancé. Lily in a cynical attitude replied, “The men that is now only all palaver and what they can get out of you.” Gabriel became embarrassed by her response then proceeded to pay her to avoid an apology conflict. He quickly realized that it was wrong to meddle in her affairs. Similarly, when conversing with a colleague Miss Ivors, she had him tongue tied with her astute speech that he scurried to the opposite side of the room after the dance was over. “He avoided her eyes for he had seen a sour expression on her face” (Joyce 89). Miss Ivors taunted him afterwards by whispering “West Briton!” (Joyce 89). Gabriel didn’t know how to respond to Miss Ivors bombarding questions that he lost control. He While awkward encounters persist to spoil his mood, Gabriel turns to his wife, Gretta and noticed that she is dazed and saddened by the music. Gabriel was distraught not because of her emotional state but due to the fact that he didn’t have control over her feelings. When Gabriel questions Gretta, she reveals, “It was a young boy I used to know, name Michael Furey. He used to sing that song, The Lass of Aughrim. He was very delicate” (Joyce 107). Gabriel was irritated because he felt Michael Furey even in his premature death lived a more abundant life than he did. This caused Gabriel to survey himself and the miserable existence that he had. “He saw himself as a ludicrous figure, acting as a pennyboy for his aunts, a nervous, well-meaning sentimentalist, orating to vulgarians and idealizing his own clownish lusts, the pitiable fatuous fellow he had caught a glimpse of in the mirror” (Joyce 107). The epiphany at the end, suggest that the shield has fallen from Gabriel’s eyes and he’s able to see life as it is and not the distorted view in his head. What Michael and Gretta shared was more than he’s ever had. Gabriel seems like he no longer wants to participate in these meaningless ritualistic gatherings, he would prefer to enjoy the remainder of his existence. Gabriel would probably start to live and actually appreciate the life that he has.
Works Cited

Eliot, T.S. “The Waste Land.” Select Writers of the Twentieth Century: A Brief Anthology. New York, 2005. Page 205. Print
Joyce, James. “The Dead.” Select Writers of the Twentieth Century: A Brief Anthology. New York, 2005. Page 89,107. Print
The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008. Web. 5 July 2014.