Epiphany and James Joyce

Having so far only read part of The Dead in Dubliners, by James Joyce, I don't really feel qualified to make criticism of his genius one way or the other. However, after some research into the reasons he is considered such a ground-breaking, influential author of twentieth-century western literature, I came across a recurring term used in reference to this author: epiphany. I had never before heard this term used with regard to a writing style, genre, or otherwise, so I found it intriguing. I thought I had a passing understanding of the term, but to be sure I looked it up on Dictionary.com and, sure as you're born, there were the usual religious references followed by these literary references:

3.	a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

4.	a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

Now, I've always been interested in the writings of Joseph Campbell, who wrote numerous books on the topic of myths, quests, rites of passage, ceremony, etc., and for some reason these concepts jumped to mind when I read these definitions of epiphany. Don't ask me why, I'm sure it has something to do with Abstraction Exercises...

As though I had experienced an epiphany of my own, I suddenly looked at the works of James Joyce from a fresh "Campbell-like" perspective of watching the protagonist on a collision course with change, whether they realize it or not. Something will happen to that character that will forever alter them. What will it be? Not only can I read his works with an apprentice's eye to learn from his technical expertise in character development, environmental description, and plot development and resolution, but I now get to watch for the moment of epiphany to see how Joyce manages to thread this deeper meaning into the rich tapestry of his story. Ooo! A new tool for adding deeper meaning to a story. How cool is that? Can't wait to try it out.

I wonder what, if anything, may happen during the rest of The Dead that might be seen as an epiphany, by whom, what illumination was, and what otherwise commonplace incident sets it off? I also have a copy of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man collecting dust on a bookcase. If things go well with the rest of The Dead, I may just have to bump Portrait up on my "to read" list.