Topic > Literary Analysis of "Araby" by James Joyce

Introduction: Stories are not mere words; they are our window into the past and a way of conceptualizing what the world looked like in a different time, under different conditions, and, most importantly, how human experiences back then shaped society. Background: James Joyce's "Araby" is one such story that transports us to nineteenth-century Dublin and, using the story of an adolescent boy, presents a well-crafted narrative of the way Dublin looked to the East in the nineteenth century to locate his identity. Thesis Statement: Joyce does not overtly make a statement about Irish Orientalism, but the use of Oriental diction, the reference to the Araby Bazaar, and other Orientalist metaphorical images, 'Araby' reveals much more about nineteenth-century Dublin. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Topic Sentence: As the nineteenth century neared its end, many Irish nationalists sought a way to escape the clutches of English colonialism. This quest to shape an identity different from that of the colonizers led them to use Orientalism to establish a deeper connection with Orientals and create a distance between them and the colonizers. In Arabia, the most predominant way of establishing this is diction. The use of the terms Arabia and Bazaar is central to the idea of ​​history. Evidence and Quotations: The word Arabia is used to project a romantic idea of ​​wealth and well-being where anything goes. Joyce describes this exotic feeling associated with the words as an oriental enchantment: "The syllables of the word Araby were called to me through the silence in which my soul luxuriated and cast an oriental enchantment upon me." Topic Sentence: The second way James Joyce constructs his narrative of Irish Orientalism uses the Arab bazaar as the backdrop to the story. Evidence and Quotations: Referred to as a "beautiful" place by Mangan's sister, it is considered a place where everything is beautiful and happy, in stark contrast to the grim darkness that has engulfed the streets of Dublin. The concept of Araby Bazaar is rooted in the real-life charity bazaar "Grand Oriental Fête". This traveling bazaar was an escapist fantasy of Irish nationalists who had romantic ideas about the East. It was a very popular source of entertainment. Evidence and quotes: The whole idea was so stereotypically rooted in Orientalism. The most obvious way this shows is the way women were treated in these bazaars. The demonization of working women as commodities to entertain buyers was the most evil feature of these bazaars. Comment: It is implied that the woman the boys go to in the bazaar was flirting with two men. And so the author shows the sinister side of Irish orientalism. Evidence and Quotes: The other way it shows is when Mangan's parents don't allow their daughter to go to this "depraved" Arab bazaar. Comment: The attempt to associate the inhuman treatment of women as something oriental is orientalism in its purest form. Theme Sentence: While the Araby Bazaar is portrayed at the beginning as a romantic place where dreams come true, by the end of the story Joyce establishes that it is nothing more than a depraved place. The boy closes the circle. By not purchasing anything from the shop assistant whom he sees flirting and therefore considers a sexual deviant, he rejects the idea of ​​finding an identity in Irish Orientalism. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Concluding Paragraph: Araby is a story of dead ends. It begins in the dark streets of Dublin,.