Jane Hung Mr. Smyrk AP Literature Period 6 13 October 2011 Araby: Questions for Discussion 1.

Why does the narrator want to go to the bazaar? The narrator wants to go to the bazaar in order to buy a gift for Mangans sister. In buying Mangans sister a treasured trinket at Araby, the narrator would be satisfying his desire to please his beloved. He feels that to match up to the standards of such a girl as Mangans sister he must be extraordinary. Indeed, the bazaar denotes a certain exoticism and intrigue because it is a stark contrast to the somber houses and ugly monotonous childs play of North Richmond Street. The only light the narrator perceives in the commonalty that is North Richmond Street is Mangans sister; perhaps by attending Araby, the narrator would have both the love of Mangans striking sister and an escape from this ordinary life. 2. Why does he arrive so late? The narrator arrives so late because he had to wait until his uncle arrived home. Unfortunately, the narrators uncle had forgotten that the boy had wanted to go to the bazaar and, perhaps, had gotten drunk instead. The narrator needed his uncle to provide financial assistance for train fare and for spending money. This aspect of the story details the frustration and exasperation that the narrator has for common Irish life. His uncle seems callous and insensitive to the desires of the boy. Indeed, this man had easily forgotten about the boys desire to go to the bazaar even after constant reminders; his assertion, the people are in bed and after their first sleep now, also details the uncles apathetic views towards the boys prompt to still attend

Araby. Men like the narrators uncle may be an example of other Irish men; such distance from passion and pleasure may drive the narrator to seek another mode of existence. Furthermore, the train to his freedom only began the journey after an intolerable delay, which perhaps signals the inevitable complexities in attempting to reach an elated existence. 3. What doesnt he buy anything for Mangans sister? The narrator does not buy anything for Mangans sister because he arrives at Araby as many stalls were closing. The products sold at the bazaar were also ridiculously priced, and the greater part of the hall was in darkness, which points to the fruitlessness of his journey to what he hoped to be a magical state. Since the narrator seems to be in a state of poverty (two penniesagainst the sixpence in my pocket), he does not seem able to afford this life of luxury or perhaps this life of luxury is simply a figment of the narrators imagination. Although the narrator believed that he could gain the love of Mangans sister by buying her expensive, exotic gifts, he finally understands that happiness cannot be bought and maybe nothing would have changed if the narrator had returned with a gift. To this end, perhaps the reality is not nearly as satisfying and magical as he hoped and expected. 4. Enumerate the activities taking place at Araby. To what extent do they sustain its magical name? The train ride first enumerates the magic of Araby; indeed, this special train for the bazaar crept onward among ruinous house and over the twinkling river. Here we see that the narrator believes that his journey will take him to a final state of happiness and contentment especially as he perceives Araby to be the stark contrast to his dull, monotonous existence. This train is meant to leave all the ordinary behind and traverse towards the remarkable. Another aspect of Arabys magic is the semblance of color, patterns, and size. The narrator sees the

words Caf Chantantwritten in coloured lamps, porcelain [vases,] and flowered tea sets, all of which are perhaps attributes to an exciting and exhilarating life. This display of color and pattern opens the eyes of a boy raised on blind North Richmond Street. The great jars that stood like eastern guards at either side of the dark entrance to the stall illustrates a forbidden majesty that may seem grand but is, in actuality, a testament to the dark nature of any path of life. 5. What had the narrator expected to find at Araby? What was the basis of his expectation? The narrator had expected to find an exhilarating display of exoticism and magic; he imagined that Araby, as an Eastern enchantment, would be the answer to ugly monotonous childs play. The basis of his expectation was perhaps to the acclaim of Mangans sister; the narrators infatuation with her may have exaggerated the credibility of Mangans sisters preferences. The narrator also sought a romantic escape from his current dreary existence and overemphasized the brilliance of another culture. 6. Define the narrators feelings for Mangans sister. To what extent is she the cause of those feelings? What, as they say, does he see in her? The narrators feelings for Mangans sister are described as those of confused adoration and the result of her exoticism in his plain Irish life. Indeed, he kept her brown figure always in [his] eye, which is a testament to his obsession with a world other than his own. Mangans sister may have encouraged these feelings by not refusing a gift from the bazaar; by doing so, she wants the narrator to go pursuing this impossible dream and revels in his futile chase of her attention. The narrator sees in Mangans sister a light that lit up her hair that rested [on the white curve of her neck], and falling, lit up the hand upon the railing. This light verily

elucidates the narrators obsession with a life outside of Ireland and of the monotony; she reminds him that his life does not have to follow this ordinary path. 7. What purpose might Joyce have had in choosing not to mention the object of the narrators affections until the middle of the third paragraph? Describe the context into which she is introduced. In what ways is she part of the world of North Richmond Street? Joyce may have delayed the introduction of Mangans sister in the story because he wants to establish the setting of North Richmond Street. In the narrators hometown, life is full of ugly monotonous childs play and uninhabited house[s] of two storeys [that] stood at the blind end, detached fromneighbors. Joyce next illuminates the dark, somber streets during winter with the presence of Mangans sister, her figure defined by the light from the half-opened door. As such, her appearance is the source of light for the narrator in his current neighborhood in Ireland. Mangans sister is introduced as an authority figure entreating her brother to quit his folly and come home. In such a way, she may be a symbol of reality because her presence puts an end to dreaming; perhaps this very fact encourages the narrator to pursue the light source as he correlates achievable reality to Mangans sister. Here we can also attribute her representation of reality in connection to the world of North Richmond Street. Joyce does not depict her in light of any extraordinary gifts, talents, or beauty; in fact, her only source of illumination seems to come from her environment (e.g. light from the half-opened door, light from the lamp opposite our door). We can thus assume that in any other persons eyes, Mangans sister is simply ordinary especially since her only title is Mangans sister rather than an actual name. 8. What is the role of the narrators uncle in the story? What values and attitudes does he represent? Are they preferable to those of the narrator?

The role of the narrators uncle is to provide a sense of adult Irishmen, the very people that the narrator believes are callous and unexciting. The narrators uncle provides money and, thus, the means for which the narrator is to accomplish his journey. However, this dependence on someone elses pocket irritates the narrator because he sees it as something he cannot control and a hindrance to his dreams. The narrators uncle furnishes values and attitudes of insensitivity especially since he ignores his nephews constant reminders of going to Araby and then attempts to dissuade him from leaving so late after being reminded. Obviously, the narrators uncle does not hold favorable the childish dreams and desires of his nephew but instead drowns his mind with alcohol. These attitudes are not favorable to the nephew because he believes they impede on the success of his dreams. 9. Find patterns in the story that shows relevance to light, vision, and beauty. Light, vision, and beauty are all utilized within the text to conceptualize the narrators dreams of escape from Irish culture. The narrator sees light in Mangans sister and thus verily believes that he is enamored with her especially since she is a stark contrast to the darkness of North Richmond Street. Indeed, the narrator finds that his chase of the appearance of idealism results in self-reflection as a creature driven and derided by vanity. Yes, the narrator traverses towards escape with a perception of what is beautiful, exotic, and different. His idealistic visions exaggerated the wonders of what is to be found at Araby; indeed, this new world is no different from the one he left. 10. What is the search for the Holy Grail and how is it like the story? The search for the Holy Grail is the search for Gods grace; like the narrators search for escape, the journey provides a means to which one can develop into a mature intellectual, weary

of the worlds promises, yet aware that there is magic everywhere. For the narrator, the journey for his Holy Grail sanctioned a new realization of his own naivety; yes, there is no easy escape away from what he believes is a forsaken lifestyle. As the narrator realizes that his search is futile, he uncovers, with anger and despair, the darkness of the world and the vanity of his journey. Just like those searching for the Holy Grail, the narrator has reflected upon his failed journey. Perhaps in doing so, the narrator may have realized bits of his former life were not entirely dreadful; he has companions and an education, all of which can get him farther than chasing nonsensical dreams. 11. Make two lists: 1) record ideas, images, and allusions that suggest contexts remote from the immediate situation, jotting down associations that they bring to mind; 2) note anything mentioned in the story with which you are unfamiliar. Look some of these items up. The narrator remarked [the] English accents of the young lady and the two gentlemen, bringing to mind the domination of the Irish people by their English brethren. The mention of the Christian Brothers School set[ting] the boys free perhaps indicates the supreme control of Catholicism over Irish culture. The narrators preference for The Memoirs of Vidocq over the other two books may indicate the narrators proclivity towards science and logic rather than the realm of religion. Furthermore, the narrators depiction of the central apple-tree and a few straggling bushes in the wild garden behind the house perhaps suggests that the strong stance of the English government deprives those under it of vital nutrients. The nod to ODonovan Rossa may also be in characterization of the extreme nationalism of the Irish people. Indeed, the Araby bazaar is suggestive of the grandeur of the Arab merchants that the narrator wishes to achieve.