James Joyce adapted the word "epiphany" from the religious term referring to the revelation of Christ's divinity to Magi. Joyce's definition however refers to a sudden insight into ones self-

"an epiphany he meant a sudden spiritual manifestation, whether in the vulgarity of speech or of gesture or in a memorable phase of the mind itself. He believed that it was for the man of letters to record these epiphanies with extreme care, seeing that they themselves are the most delicate and evanescent of moments"

For Joyce it means that any commonplace object or action could bring about a sudden revelation into the truth and a deep understanding of life. The chief theme, which runs throughout all the stories in Dubliners, is the paralysis, both physical and moral, linked to religion, politics and culture. Dublin is the heart of this paralysis and all citizens are victims. This series of epiphanies are not simply about paralysis but the revelation of paralysis to its victims. Most characters come to a knowledge, an awareness of their own condition and for a moment they a

"I? listened; but there was no sound in the house: and I knew that the old priest was lying still in his coffin, solemn?an idle chalice to his breast."

Ryf, Robert A New Approach To Joyce London: Cambridge University Press

Some topics in this essay:
Father Flynn's, Magi Joyce's, Father Flynn, Gretta Conroy, Flynn Joyce, Stainilus Dubliners, James Joyce, Overall Dubliners, Joyce's Dubliners, father flynn, epiphanic moment, Michael Furey, cambridge university press, priest church, university press, cambridge university, epiphany lives, story dubliners, awe priest, conversation party, series epiphanies,