Symbolism in the dead by James Joyce

The short story “The Dead” by James Joyce constructs the tale of early twentieth century upper class society in the Irish city of Dublin. The story tells of the characters’ entrapment and the tragic lives they lead, constantly hiding behind the conventions of their society. Joyce uses symbolism to draw a parallel between the natural way in which the snow covers the land, and the unnatural way in which the characters use their societal culture to cover reality and hide from the truth.
The main character of “The Dead” is Gabriel Conroy, a young Irish man who, amidst the forced gaiety of his aunts’ annual Christmas party, comes to realize that the life he is living is much different than he cares to admit. This unwillingness to face truth is a major theme in the story and ties in with their avoidance of problems that the country is facing as well. Every time a controversy erupts in the story it is hastily buried amidst other conversations or actions that are perceived as...