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The Dead Literary Analysis

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Throughout the multiple works we have analyzed this semester, the protagonists of each story exhibited overbearing characteristics of pride that intrinsically blinded them from the realities of their lives. Consequently, these individuals became overzealous in their goals, which in actuality were impossible for them to reach. Yet, with the significant aid of impactful, secondary characters, the protagonists were able to overcome their inherent attributes of hubris, and gain a necessary epiphany regarding their view of the world, and their true individual selves. Within the short story The Dead by James Joyce, the character of Gabriel increasingly attempted to assert himself into various norms within society. In particular, he desired to resemble an cultured, intellectual Western European, which is specifically perceived when he included superior quotes from various English writers in his dinner speech such as Robert …show more content…
When Gabriel was conversing with Miss Ivors, a very passionate Irish woman, she questioned: “why do you want to go to France and Belgium instead of visiting your own Land.” In response, Gabriel said “Well it’s partly to keep in touch with the languages, and partly for a change (Joyce 136).” Angrily, Miss Ivors called him a “West Briton”, which is an insulting term that describes an Irish individual who traitorously admires Britain and the rest of Western Europe. Clearly, Gabriel’s expedition towards disguising himself as someone that he truly isn’t is immensely unfeasible as his Irish upbringing and family are a significant part of who he is. Yet, Gabriel is unable to realize this until the critical character of Gretta, his wife, breaks down in front of him due to her sadness regarding a past, true lover who constantly haunts her. By Gretta fervently telling Gabriel about Michael Furey, it permitted Gabriel to perceive that he not only has been

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