Perception Of Authority In The Dead By James Joyce

Peace Madueme
British Literature II
Mao/Tempesta
27 April 2014

Failed Expectations:
The Perception of Authority in James Joyce’s “The Dead” (9)

In “The Dead,” the last short story within James Joyce’s collection of short stories, Dubliners, the author narrates the happenings during and after a dinner party that the protagonist Gabriel Conroy attends. One of the major themes that appears throughout this story and the other stories within the collection is that of failed expectation. Many characters within the stories develop expectations about certain people, places or things and witness those expectations shatter after a revelation or an epiphany. Gabriel is amongst those characters that develop such expectations. Throughout “The Dead” he
After Lily’s retort, Gabriel’s feelings of embarrassment, characterized by his fidgeting with his various articles of clothing, becomes apparent. He “kick[s] off his galoshes” and “flick[s] actively with his muffler at his patent-leather shoes” (2173). After “flick[ing] lustre into his shoes and…pull[ing] his waistcoat down more tightly on his plump body” (2174), he takes a “coin rapidly from his pocket” and gives it to Lily in a forceful manner (2174), “thrusting it into her hands” (2174). Although Lily initially does not accept the coin, Gabriel coaxes her to comply, repeating that it is “Christmas-time” (2174). By giving Lily the coin and in such a manner Gabriel tries to reassert his authority over Lily. Though Gabriel appears to give Lily the coin out of a generosity legitimized by the fact that it is “Christmas-time,” his giving Lily this coin actually serves as a reminder to Lily of her place, of her inferior status and position as hired help, since the coin seems to act as payment for Lily’s services. After giving Lily this coin, it would then seem that Gabriel recaptures his sense of authority over the girl. But this notion is complicated by the appearance of the staircase in the scene. By “gain[ing]” the stairs after giving Lily the coin and “waving his hand to her in deprecation” (2174), it would seem then that Gabriel recaptures his perceived authority since he places
After she comes down from the staircase and Gabriel breaks his reverie, he begins to react to her with excitement at the thought of reigniting a romance with her: “At last she turned towards them and Gabriel saw that there was colour on her checks and that her eyes were shining. A sudden tide of joy went leaping out of his heart” (2192). Because of his perception of authority over her, Gabriel interprets that the “coulour on [Gretta’s] cheeks” and her “shining” eyes are signs that she is thinking amorously of him. Gabriel soon imagines that he will engage Gretta affectionately and that she would reciprocate his affections: “He would call her softly:—Gretta! Perhaps she would not hear at once: she would be undressing. Then something in his voice would strike her. She would turn and look at him…” Here, Gabriel imagines that Gretta would react in such a way because he has developed an expectation that she is thinking romantically of him. Moreover, the manner in which Gabriel narrates this scene suggests that he is adopting the role of a narrator in an attempt to assume control over her much like he does when he imagines himself being a painter and painting her. In summary, Gabriel develops expectations about Gretta because of his perceived sense of authority over her, a sense of authority signified by his desire to “paint”