Paralysis & Epiphany

Joyce’s use of realism and symbolism amplifies the theme of stagnation. His meticulous descriptions of Dublin’s streets, pubs, and homes—dingy, cramped, and oppressive—mirror the inner lives of his characters. The recurring imagery of darkness, cold, and closure (closed bazaars, locked doors, falling snow) reinforces the sense of entrapment, while symbols like the clay pipe, the broken chain in “Eveline,” and the snow in “The Dead” serve as silent metaphors for unfulfilled lives. Even language itself becomes a tool of paralysis: characters often communicate in clichés, platitudes, or silence, unable to express their deepest desires or fears, as seen in the stilted conversations of “A Painful Case,” where Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinico’s failed relationship is a casualty of emotional repression.