Kid Shaun

Below is a free term papers summary of the paper "Kid Shaun." If you sign up, you can be reading the rest of this term papers in under two minutes. Registered users should login to view this term paper.

Term Paper Title	Kid Shaun
# of Words	1075
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.3

Kid1
Kid Shaun
December 20, 1998
English 112-04

"The Dead"

     James Joyce's story "The Dead" has a tremendous impact on the readers, especially those who are familiar with the political situation in Ireland at the time about which the Joyce wrote the final story in Dubliners.  In exploring the meaning of James Joyce's long short-story,  "The Dead", there are many critical approaches to take.  Each approach gives readers a lens, a set of guidelines through which to examine and express ideas of the meaning of "The Dead."  Joyce himself said that the idea of paralysis was his intended them of all the stories in The Dubliners of which "The Dead" is the final story.Of all critical approaches, reader response works best for me.  This approach examines the images, symbols, point-of-view, characterization and setting of "The Dead" in such a way as to reveal the theme of paralysis that Joyce intended.  The two characters that appeal to me are, Gabriel and his wife Gretta who are invited every year to a family gathering by Gabriels two aunts on New Years eve.  Gabriel, who is a university professor, does not want to be identified with Ireland.  He wants to be identifies as a citizen of the world.

Kid2

His arrogance is revealed in his interaction with others.  A primary example would be the way he treats his wife Gretta as an object.
     As Peter J. Rabinowitz informs one that in reader response criticism the "…activity of reading always alters the text at hand.  Unless we are limiting ourselves to reading in the sense of uninflected recitation, reading is never a passive activity to which the reader contributes nothing.  In the reader response criticism, reading is a text in which individual experiences bear on the subject.  Every individual interprets the text differently due to one having different experiences that determines the interpretation of the text. (138)
     The images reflect Gabriels ego in a sense, at the same for his marital relationship, and at the end death, which may not be physical but spiritual. Gabriel who is tallish and stout symbolizes authority and also wants to be perfect for all times.  He has a mental block, which makes him believe that he is more superior and different than others are.  He's built a screen around himself, which stops him from identifying himself with the "Common Man."  The "…polished lenses and the bright gilt rims of the glasses which screened his delicate and restless eyes…."(23,24).  This image perhaps tells us that th...

This is not the end of the termpaper! Register below to see the complete version of this term paper.

Membership Plans	Credit Card	Check

1 month membership

3 month membership (You Save 50%)

6 month membership (You Save 67%)

Copyright © 2002-2007 Mid Term Papers. All rights reserved. This term papers website is used for research purposes only.
If you have forgotten your username or password, please click here.
If you like to cancel your account, please click here.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22