Communications and Media

In the short story The Dead by James Joyce, the patterns of communication can be said to be highly influenced by the context of the situation, particularly the culture of the characters. Before dwelling on the analysis of the communicative events in this work of fiction, I deem that it is important to set first the larger context of the story.

The Dead is included in a collection of fifteen stories entitled Dubliners written by James Joyce. James Joyce was an Irish and used to be a stern member of the Irish people who hankered for Irelands separation from England. As we know, Ireland used to be a colony of England (or Great Britain now). The setting of the story was in Ireland and the dominant culture was that of Ireland. The more specific location of the story was at a middle-class place where people who are relatively well-off are found. Most of the parts of the story were in a gathering of sorts that is called Misses Morkans annual dance (Joyce 175). This is also where most of the conversations have transpired.

Upon reading the novel, I can characterize the communications that occurred as being rather stiff and staged, if not intentionally formal. There were no obvious gestures of being fun and the communications were not marked by being natural and jolly. The characters ways of communicating seem to be dictated by unseen forces that impel them to behave that way. Regarding the roles of the characters, since most of them were all coming from the middle class, as said earlier, they were mostly equals. There was no notable occurrence of communications where the factor of the interlocutors roles influenced the communicative process. There was a mutual respect and recognition to the other person so there was no apparent power relations that shaped the communication  at least on the surface.

Since Ireland at that time was divided when it comes to the union with England, their country was exposing different facets of their society. The particular facet which Joyce showed in Dubliners specifically in The Dead, was the dimension of monotony in Ireland. Being overly dependent upon England for a long time, the Irish people have seemed to live in a clockwork manner. They were shaped according to Englands manhandling of them and they were somewhat robbed off the freedom to think for themselves and act independently. This was the prevalent culture in Ireland during those times. This is the same culture which Joyce simultaneously portrayed and critiqued in his works. We will see later how this culture of being mechanical and being monotonous led to a communication that is stiff and unnatural.

I will begin my exemplifications with one of the few instances of conversations where roles factored into the process of dialogue. The conversation went on between Lily, the daughter of the caretaker, and Gabriel Conroy, one of the well-off visitors to the annual dance. Lily was a young fellow. In addition to that, she was merely a daughter of the caretaker and has nothing significant tot do with the gathering. When she welcomed him upon his arrival, he strike up a little chat with her, asking her in a friendly manner if she still goes to school Tell me Lily, he said in a friendly tone, do you still go to school (Joyce 178). Lilys answer was somewhat bashful, perhaps even intimated by his gesture O, no sir, Im done schooling this year and more (Joyce 178). Lilys response goes to show that her being younger than her interlocutor affected her manner of talking. More than that, she seemed to feel as if she was of lower status than Gabriel Conroy as he was one of the visitors in that grand event. That feeling is perhaps the reason why shyness and not respect was the more dominant tone in her response. Gabriels last statement only confirms his higher role than Lily O, then.  I suppose well be going to your wedding one of the fine days with your young man, eh. (Joyce 178). This retort of Gabriel is something that only a person who enjoys a higher status can have the confidence of saying. Although said in a good-natured manner, Gabriels statement was joking, even teasing Lily.  A feeling of security marks this statement. Gabriel can joke or tease Lily and he is not afraid of the possibility that she might not like his statement because even if she does, he stands on a higher ground and she cannot do something serious to express her repulse to what he has said.

The conversation between Lily and Gabriel is marked by the difference in social roles that influenced their behaviors and their responses to one another. Their perception of one another also contributed to how the verbal exchange turned out to be. Lily perceived Gabriel as someone whom she had to respect, if not really kowtow to. Meanwhile, Gabriel perceived Lily as his subordinate as she was younger than he was.

This observation about Lily and Gabriels conversation is further strengthened by another example. Gabriel offers some money to Lily as it was Christmas time. This act in itself already implies how Gabriel considers Lily. He somewhat condescends at her that is why he offered the money. Lily declined at first, perhaps out of shyness and intimidation again O no, sir Really, sir, I wouldnt take it. (Joyce 178). The use of the word sir already proves Lilys respect for him. With Lilys initial declination, Gabriel persisted so she finally accepts the offer Well, thank you, Sir.

Now, I must proceed to the mechanical and shallow characteristics of the communication which I have already stressed above. This can be seen in the conversations among the pack of people in the annual dance while they were all awaiting the arrival of other visitors.

Its such a relief, said Aunt Kate to Mrs Conroy, that Gabriel is here. I always feel easier in my mind when hes here. Julia, theres Miss Daly and Miss Power will take some refreshment. Thanks for your beautiful waltz, Miss Daly. It made lovely time.

A tall wizen-faced man, with a stiff grizzled moustache and swarthy skin, who was passing out with his partner said
And may we have some refreshment, too, Miss Morkan
Julia, said Aunt Kate summarily, and heres Mr Browne and Miss Furlong. Take them in, Julia, with Miss Daly and Miss Power.
Im the man for the ladies, said Mr Browne, pursing his lips until his moustache bristled and smiling in all his wrinkles. You know, Miss Morkan, the reason they are so fond of me is
He did not finish his sentence, but, seeing that Aunt Kate was out of earshot, at once led the three young ladies into the back room. (Joyce 182)

This series of exchanges seem to be slipshod, almost totally messy. First, Aunt Kate said something to Mrs. Conroy, and then suddenly turned to Miss Daly, thanking her for playing music in the celebration. Then, the tall man with moustache abruptly enters into the scene and talked to Miss Morkan, who was not even mentioned earlier. After that, Aunt Kate spoke again, and this time, talking to Julia and welcoming Mr. Browne and Miss Furlong. Upon arriving, Mr. Browne already opened up a talk but was not able to finish his sentence.

As we can see, the conversation was outwardly jumbled. People were talking one after the other, even without direct reference or clear relevance to what has been said earlier. As they speak, we only witness a clatter of words, piling on top of the other, but not making a coherent whole. There was no clear-cut connection among everyone elses statements, that we may deduce that they were speaking only for the sake of speaking even though they were not exactly meeting on some ground. They were speaking so to make it appear that they are connecting with one another even if they are not.  They were subconsciously playing a make-believe game. They were fooling themselves that they were establishing connection with other people by communicating with them, when in fact, there was no communication at all.

The idea of being mechanical and detached pervade all throughout the story. When Greta asked Gabriel about Molly Ivors, Gabriel was mildly exasperated There were no words, said Gabriel, moodily. (Joyce 191). His answer was stilted, partly out of his desire to hear no more from his wife, Greta, and implicitly stop her from badgering him. When Greta said that she wanted to see Galway again, Gabriels response was also unfeeling You can go if you like, said Gabriel coldly. (Joyce 191). Again, we can sense from this statement that tone of frustration and for the sake of replying and stifling his frustration, he uttered that mechanically.

In general, the communications that occurred among the characters in The Dead was distinguished by their looseness, the lack of a solid coherence within them. Especially in the gathering where several people got to meet and greet one another, the communications were all but personal and intimate. They were fleeting, monotonous and staged -- done only for the sake of doing it.

That kind of communication was clearly ensued by the circumstances of Ireland  the storys setting  during those times. Ireland was still considerably tied to England and that union made them formless  they do not have a definite identity and all their behaviors and thoughts were seemingly patterned with England. As a result, they have become conscious in imitating the ways of the English people, eventually making themselves almost robotic.

It is notable on my part how the people have behaved under the occasion of a gathering that is supposed to be merry and upbeat. In my cultural context, during occasions like that  a party or something  everyone is really excited and perky. Everyone gets to interact and know all the other people in the place and they can communicate to one another with warmth and sincere congeniality. Nothing can be argued as being mechanical or clockwork. Out of fun and excitement, there would be no strangers in the place. The occasion will not end that someone does not know all of the people. Everyone is so friendly and it is mirrored in the way we communicate with other people. The interpersonal communication is also very friendly and convivial as people really want to establish acquaintances with people whom they meet.

This is in sharp contrast with the kind of communication present in James Joyces The Dead. The types of communication we found there is one that is on the brink of becoming a no-communication at all. The verbal exchange among people was clockwork, not being done out of a genuine interest to know how the other person feels or what he thinks about. The cultural pattern of Ireland clearly has a grave effect on the emergence of that kind of communication. A populace that was only with an amorphous identity had to make with a communication that operates only on shallow levels. In that sense, it can be conclude that culture really influences the kind of communication present in a society.