Analysis of John Hustons the Dead - 1257 Words

James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† is one of the most famous and revered short stories in the English language. It is also one of the least eventful. The majority of the action takes place inside the head of Gabriel Conroy; the events of the evening and a revelation about his wife’s former lover trigger a lengthy (and beautifully written) interior monologue, which eventually culminates in an epiphany. It’s through partaking in Gabriel’s thoughts by the use of free indirect discourse that Joyce unfolds the story of Gabriel’s epiphany and the great themes he wishes to convey: recognition of the passage of time, inevitable death, and what happens to the living. In a film, however, the narrative cannot include thoughts (at least not without the†¦show more content†¦This knowledge is crucial to an understanding of Joyce’s story because Gabriel’s belief that he is superior to others contributes to his eventual emotional downfall a nd epiphany. James Joyce could use the subtleties of the written word to insinuate this trait of Gabriel through passages such as, â€Å"He was undecided about the lines from Robert Browning, for he feared they would be above the heads of his hearers† (179), and â€Å"Gabriel strove to restrain himself from breaking out into brutal language about the sottish Malins and his pound† (217). Huston, however, did not have this luxury. Recognizing that the singing scene held great potential for expressiveness, John Huston conveys Gabriel’s conceit to the audience by first coaxing them into sharing his impression of Aunt Julia, and then using the shots of her belongings to show how unfounded and contemptible his views really are. Huston alters several details in the staircase and cab ride scenes to underline Gabriel’s lack of emotional and social intelligence. In the text, when Gabriel is imagining Gretta as the muse for his painting, â€Å"Distant Music,† she is â€Å"in the shadow† (209). Unable to see her face (and therefore her emotions), Gabriel sees only â€Å"the grace and mystery in her attitude† (210). Additionally, when she comes down the staircase, Gabriel notices, â€Å"the colour on her cheeks and that her eyes were shining† (212). In the film, however, Gretta’s face