Question

Symbols help readers understand the larger themes of a story. One of the major themes of Joyce’s “Araby” is the urge to escape the monotony of daily life. Which symbol in the story contributes most to this theme, and why?

the bazaar because it represents the inaccessible land of freedom to the narrator

Mangan’s sister because she represents domesticity and routine to the narrator

the marketplace because it represents the suburban lifestyle to the narrator

the church because it represents spiritual healing and renewal to the narrator

Answer 1

the first one.


the bazaar because it represents the inaccessible land of freedom to the narrator

Answer 2

The right answer is A.

In "Araby", the narrator who is in love for Mangan's sister, wants to go to the Baazar in Araby to bring some gift for his loved one, who couldn't come to it for there was a week in retreat at the convent. He feels that each day is monotonous when waiting for the Baazar, and it represents the first time as an independent person, as he will go alone to it (a glimpse of the adult life). Both the qualities of the girl and the baazar are the childish imaginative construct of the boy, the latter seen as a fantastic place (the inaccessible land of freedom). When the narrator finally arrives to the Bazaar, he his confronted with the reality and the disappointment, which can mean the lost of his innocence.