The Dead: Gabriel’s Character Analysis

In writing the short stories that comprise Dubliners, one of James Joyce’s main goals was to portray the moments of revelation – or epiphanies – the protagonists experience as the stories reach their resolution. According to C.C. Loomis Jr., at the end of “The Dead,” “understanding of himself, then of his world, then of humanity floods Gabriel.” Joyce’s development of Gabriel’s character can be established in Gabriel is "a stout tallish young man" …showed first 75 words of 545 total…

…showed last 75 words of 545 total…the Continent such as goloshes (sic) so as to emphasize his comparative wealth. Mrs. Conroy’s influence on her son can be inferred from both his reaction to her presence in a photograph mentioned in the story (he is disturbed by her in a domineering pose with his brother Constantine) and the fact than once, he had the passion to stand up to her and marry Gretta (Joyce, 30; Shwarz, 111). But where is that passion now?