1. Araby is about the boy’s mental initiation
Thesis Statement
Araby is about the boy’s mental initiation

2. Introduction How Dubliners Reflect the Life in Dublin (Nicola and Sheryl)
I.   Religion is the central part of the Dubliner’s spiritual life and standard of conduct.
A.     Their life depends largely on religion, and religious experience is the most common experience among people.
B. There are many examples of religious associations from the stories, such as the boy associated religious images to his lover in Araby and the priests in other stories.

3. How Dubliners reflect the life in Dublin
II.   Political and religious powers are struggle to be the dominant one.
A.     The Parnell’s case had an enormous impact on the two powers.
B. Nationalism and tradition of the Catholics are two strong debate topics for the Irish.

4. How Dubliners Reflect the Life in Dublin
Iii.   Serious drinking problem is among Irish labor class.
A.     Drinking gives people a moment of fulfillment and hope.
B.     People see that they can do nothing to help themselves to get out of their miserly state after they had their drink.

5. How Dubliners reflect the life in Dublin
IV.   The paralysis theme is throughout the stories.
A.     Many characters tried to get away from the environment but all in vain.
B.     Most people have neither power nor influence to change their present situation.

6. How Dubliners reflect the life in Dublin
V.   Childhood experiences made James Joyce see Dublin as a place people want to get out from.
A.     His family degenerates in social position and had to move many times.
B.     His first sexual experience made him realize the truth of his fear and respect for his religion.

7. Repressed Sexuality (Dominique)
The Image of Mangan’s sister is sexual and sensual.
He is attracted to her physical appearance.
Since her beautiful appearance and her (might be) higher-class family, her image is raised to a religious level in his heart.
His adoration towards an older woman is a type of Oedipal attachment to mother.

8. Repressed Sexuality
Due to the gloomy and religious atmosphere, his sexual desire is restrained and revealed very limitedly.
The general social air and religious regulation functions as superego to repress his id that desires the girl.

9. Repressed Sexuality
The way he expresses his sexuality is very obscure.
The sexual orgasm is merged with religious ecstasy.
He has to isolate himself from the bad setting he is in to get together with her in his fantasy.
This rush is like a beastly impulse.

10. Initiation of the Boy (Kim and Maggie)
The boy is growing, changing and initiated by the girl.
The boy is at first presented like a boy and often plays with other boys.
Later, there are more and more scenes that he is alone and isolated with others, which shows that he is changing and growing.
When exiting the train station, he goes out through the “adult entrance”.

11. Unsuccessful socialization
There is no powerful authority in family, religion and society.
His uncle is drunk thus there is no strong father figure or authority for him to identify with.
His aunt has totally no power in the family.
The priest, who is the representative for religion in this play, is dead

12. Unsuccessful socialization
II. He learns what reality is and feels disappointed with this real world and its vanity.
When he goes to the market with his aunt, he does not like the people there and the whole society then is just as vulgar as the market.
The gossip between the neighbor Mrs. Mercer and her aunt again shows how vulgar the people in that society are.
The conversation between the girl and two guys in Araby also shows what reality is like.
He finally learns that his dreams and illusions cannot come true in the real world. He realizes the fact but he does not accept this vulgar society.

13. Conclusion (Karen)
The prevailing atmosphere in the society restrains the boy’s ability to express his emotions.
The problems of weak authority and the vulgar society can not meet the boy’s spiritual needs though he eventually faces the reality.

14. Conclusion This boy does not follow Freudian plots.
He does not identify himself with the father image and does not reach the stage of socialization.
The Oedipus complex does not totally appear.