Joyce's "The Dead"

Consider all the references to death, the dead, and dying throughout the text, what is their significance?  How does they influence/inform Joyce's title selection?

    Joyce refers through Death all throughout the text, which is meant to symbolize different characters sense of inner-being and their feelings towards other characters in the story.  The death references serve as epiphanies for Gabriel, and allow him to the see the world from others eyes, instead of him merely focusing on his own little unrealistic world. Death and the allusions to death made by Gabriel, serve to demonstrate the idea that you can be alive without really living. In other words, it serves to bring about truth and acceptance into Gabriel and Gretta's lives. 

  Some examples of important references to death from the text are provided below.

1. The first reference to death is made at the very beginning when it briefly mentions that Kate and Julia took their niece Mary Jane in to live with them after their brother Pat died. The text then goes on to discuss Misses Morkan's dance and what a huge successful event it was, ever since Mary Jane comes and lives with them. The fact that Julia and Kate move into Mr. Fullman's house after Pat dies, and that then they begin to have these large festive events, reflects the inevitable changes that death can bring to those it impacts. "For years and years it had gone off in splendid style as long as anyone could remember; even since Kate and Julia, after the death of their brother Pat, had left the house in Stoney Batter and taken Mary Jane, their only niece, to live with them in the dark gaunt house on Usher's Island..," (1946).
2. Michael Furey's death symbolizes the death of love between Gretta and Gabirel. It also serves as a symbol that Michael was the only one was really alive and everyone else was pretty much dead inside. Gabriel realizes that a part of her died when Gabriel died. This is expressed when Gretta says to Gabriel, "I implored of him to go home at once and told him he would get his death in the rain. But he said he did not want to live. I can see his eyes as well as well! He was standing at the end of the wall where there was a tree." (1973).
3. Gabriel also refers to death during his speech when he refers to the monks in their coffins. He also makes a reference to those who have already died and how their still in their hearts and minds almost as if to convey that love can conquer death in a sense. "He was astonished to hear that the monks never spoke, got up at two in the morning and slept in their coffins. He asked what they did it for." (1961.)
4. Gabriel predicts his Aunt Julia's death which is symbolic of how gloomy and depressing everyone seems.. It's almost like Gabriel has a connection with the dead or can feel death coming which isn't normal really. It just kind of shows how darkness can't escape him. He sees time as slowly slipping away, and everything reproaching death sin a ominous and creepy manner. "She, too, would soon be a shade with the shade of Patrick Morkan and his horse." 

    Michael represents life because he's the only one that is really still alive. He symbolizes passion and fire, which symbolize his love for Gretta and the fire symbolizes his work with gas. He also symbolizes the arch-angel Michael who is right below God. Gabriel represents the other arch-angel Gabriel who is subservient to Michael. Their use in the text is to symbolize how Gretta experiences death in life. When Michael dies, a part of her heart dies too due to her to deep loss of love.