Classics Without All the Class discussion

Much is made of the "epiphanies" that Joyce's characters go through. Joyce described "epiphany" as “a sudden and momentary showing forth or disclosure of one’s authentic inner self.” Based on the stories in Dubliners, what does “epiphany” mean to you? Is it a good thing that leads to self-discovery? Or sometimes a negative experience with no good outcome? How do the epiphanies of the younger characters compare with that of the older characters? Think the boy in "Araby" compared with Gabriel in "The Dead." Both have an epiphany about love, the object of their desire, themselves—just at different stages of life.