An Awakening in "The Dead" by James Joyce.
Through a sequence of events that take place one evening, Gabriel Conroy, the protagonist in James Joyce's "The Dead", is transformed from a man on the verge of suffocation, due to his self inflicted ignorance, to a man awakened by the realization of his own mortality. As Rapp states "throughout most of the story it is clear that Gabriel is trapped in his own self-consciousness [ ]" (1). .
Gabriel and Gretta attend a Christmas dinner given by his wealthy aunts. Gabriel arrives wearing his snow covered galoshes. The symbolism of the snow in "The Dead" differs from one critic to another. "To some it is seen as the symbol of death. Others see the snow as symbolizing Gabriel's escape from his own ego to a vision of all humanity [ ]" (Billigheimer 473). After all the guest's have had their dinner, Gabriel gives a speech to honor the accomplishments of his deceased family members. While the guests are enjoying themselves, Gabriel is looking out the window, wanting to be back in the refreshing snow. .
It is ironic that Gabriel is struggling with feelings of paralysis over his mortality when the name Gabriel, of Hebrew origin, means "God is my strength." "In "The Dead" Joyce examines an issue common among twentieth-century writers: the need to live with an awareness of one's own death [ .]" (Rapp 4). For the first time, Gabriel is starting to look at his life.
As the party is coming to an end, Mr. D"Arcy is singing "The Lass of Aughrim." Gabriel sees a woman standing in the darkness at the top of the stairs. Billigheimer writes, "from the moment Gretta hears the song, she becomes an object of grace, beauty, and mystery to Gabriel." (476). Gabriel is unaware of the transition that has taken place inside Gretta. Finney asks, "How long does it take Gabriel to recognize that the woman on the stairs is Gretta?" (477) Gabriel is blinded by the sheer beauty of her silhouette.