Dubliners begins on a sad note. The first story, the opening sentence of “Two Sisters”, begins: “There was no hope for him this time” (9) referring to the deceased father Flynn and in the course of reading the fifteen Dubliners stories the reader discovers that there is no hope. for any of the characters in any of the stories. The lives of Joyce's Dubliners and Ireland itself were defined by Roman Catholic influence on the people, English rule, and the struggle of the Irish for political and cultural independence and personal identity. The characters in James Joyce's Dubliners have all been burdened and implicated not only in the oppression of these external institutions but also in the oppression internal to themselves and their families. Joyce's Dubliners, as they go through the routine of their daily lives, have these moments, these glimpses into themselves and their lives that Joyce called "epiphanies." These epiphanies occur in the normal course of daily life, usually as a result of an episode in which the character suffers some kind of disillusionment or disappointment. In all these cases the character sees his own life and its futility. This moment produces clarity and recognition that this misery, pain and sadness is their existence. Joyce creates characters who desire someone or something and then gives them challenges that they must overcome to free themselves from the routine and sadness of their lives. It is in these moments, in these epiphanies, that the truth of their lives is revealed to these characters and to the reader for the first time. However, instead of seizing the moment, detaching themselves from the frustration and desperation of their life, they become caught up in it. ... middle of paper ... phew, Stephen's character, expresses his belief that the Irish are trapped in their own webs of tradition, crippling themselves and others. They are unable to break the cycle of paralysis in their lives, even though they recognize that it kills their souls. His characters in Dubliners demonstrate what happens to these souls as they trudge through the same routines day after day and the epiphanies that occur when they try to break free and realize their lives will be made up of disillusionment, disappointment and, ultimately, frustration. All Dubliners are the walking dead with their souls on the verge of extinction as their lives flicker and waver and their identities continue to dissolve and disappear. Works Cited Joyce, James. Dubliners. 1916. New York: Penguin Books Ltd, 1977. Print Joyce, James. Portrait of the artist as a young man.