James Joyce “Araby” and “Eveline”

James Joyce 1882-1941 Born in Dublin, Ireland Writer of great importance First major work is Dubliners

James Joyce Published in 1914 Collection of short stories about life in Dublin Includes “Araby” and “Eveline”

James Joyce Major Themes Paralysis Isolation Poverty Longing for Escape Religion Epiphany

“Araby” 1. How would you describe the narrator as a character? What word or words describe him well? Why? From Still Better Than Matt The narrator throughout the story seems like he is a very shy individual that might also have some amount of social anxiety or awkwardness. “I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.”

“Araby” 1. How would you describe the narrator as a character? What word or words describe him well? Why? From Star Power! The narrator of this story is young, shy, and anxious. Almost as if he has a type of social anxiety. The character is shown as withdrawn from his family, spending a great amount of time in the back room of his home where the previous tenant had died. Within the story we are told that the narrator finds isolation in the upper floor of his home. He is shown falling in love, or at least infatuation with a friend’s sister.

“Araby” 2. How would you describe the setting, or the environment, of the story? What does this setting contribute to the story? From SlumpGod64 It seems to be very dark and gloomy. The current setting is during the winter. The sky in one particular scene is covered in violet: “The space of sky above us was the color of ever-changing violet”. Also, it seems to be a very quiet neighborhood.

“Araby” 3. Identify at least one thing in the story that you think might be symbolic, that is, something that seems to have more meaning than what it literally is. What might this symbolism contribute to the story? From Distracted Dingos The girls symbolizes change and something new. The man looked to her to help his life change for the better.

“Araby” Another symbol: Araby “’If I go,’ I said, ‘I will bring you something.’”

“Araby” 5. Finish the sentence below to express what you think is a good one-sentence summary of the main theme (or the comment about life) that we should get from the story “Araby.” From Team Fall James Joyce’s “Araby” shows us how people can get easily put themselves into a fantasy and get distracted by something they admire so much.

“Araby” 6. If you write an essay on this story, what would be three or four good topics for the body paragraphs of the essay?

“Araby” Look Carefully at the Details! “North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers’ School set the boys free.”

Look Carefully at the Details! “Araby” Look Carefully at the Details! “At nine o'clock I heard my uncle's latchkey in the hall door. I heard him talking to himself and heard the hallstand rocking when it had received the weight of his overcoat. I could interpret these signs. When he was midway through his dinner I asked him to give me the money to go to the bazaar. He had forgotten.”

“Araby” What passages did you identify as being important?

“Araby” Questions?

“Eveline” “She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue.”

“Eveline” 1. How would you describe Eveline as a character? What word or words describe her well? Why? From Team B I would describe Eveline as someone who is afraid of change. She has been stuck in a cycle for her entire life. The thought of leaving her home and what she knows frightens her deeply. A word that describes Eveline well is conflicted. She is being forced to make a choice that could rip her from the comfort of her world. As the story comes to an end, her fear of the unknown gets the best of her and the thought of leaving makes her think “No! No! No! It was impossible.” It is not possible for her to leave her home…even for love.

“Eveline” 1. How would you describe Eveline as a character? What word or words describe her well? Why? From Rabbits Eveline seems lonely and neglected. In the story it talks about how she’s frightened by her father’s violence. When she talks about Frank her character lightens up from the darkness her father brings her.

“Eveline” 1. How would you describe Eveline as a character? What word or words describe her well? Why? From The E Team Eveline seems to be unhappy and somewhat depressed in the story. A quote from the story states, “She was tired.” This shows that she is having a hard time dealing with what is going on in her family. She becomes almost a surrogate mother to her siblings after her mother dies. Her father is also abusive towards her.

“Eveline” 1. How would you describe Eveline as a character? What word or words describe her well? Why? From Lone Wolf She is trying to see the best in life no matter how deep she has to dig into her past. Though she is unhappy with her life, she feels a heavy responsibility of duty to her family and her household. She is torn between keeping the promise to her mother to “keep the home together as long as she could”, and her right to happiness. Eveline is conflicted both in her head and in her heart.

“Eveline” 2. How would you describe the setting, or the environment, of the story? What does this setting contribute to the story? From The Lonely Mountain The setting is very dark: The streets are lined with dingy brown houses, her home is a dusty mausoleum where relics of the past lie broken, the very air of the city is crippling and oppressive, and light is fading as “evening invade[s] the avenue.”

“Eveline” 3. Identify at least one thing in the story that you think might be symbolic, that is, something that seems to have more meaning than what it literally is. What might this symbolism contribute to the story? From Squad Goals The dust is symbolic because it shows the lack of change in Eveline’s life.

“Eveline” 5. Finish the sentence below to express what you think is a good one-sentence summary of the main theme (or the comment about life) that we should get from the story “Eveline.” From Team B James Joyce’s “Eveline” shows us how people make choices about their lives that are not always based off of their own wishes or needs.

“Eveline” 5. Finish the sentence below to express what you think is a good one-sentence summary of the main theme (or the comment about life) that we should get from the story “Eveline.” From James Joyce’s “Eveline” shows us how people can be dragged down by a sense of responsibility and guilt.

“Eveline” 5. Finish the sentence below to express what you think is a good one-sentence summary of the main theme (or the comment about life) that we should get from the story “Eveline.” From James Joyce’s “Eveline” shows us how people who are in an abusive situation while afraid still find it scarier to leave that situation. The fear of the unknown is harder than the fear they feel already.

“Eveline” 6. If you write an essay on this story, what would be three or four good topics for the body paragraphs of the essay?

“Eveline” Look Carefully at the Details! “She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window curtains and in her nostrils was the odour of dusty cretonne. She was tired.”

“Eveline” Look Carefully at the Details! “Her time was running out but she continued to sit by the window, leaning her head against the window curtain, inhaling the odour of dusty cretonne.”

“Eveline” Look Carefully at the Details! “She felt her cheek pale and cold and, out of a maze of distress, she prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty.”

“Eveline” What passages did you identify as being important?

“Eveline” Questions?