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?

Answer 1

There are various symbols of escaping monotony. The Araby fair itself is one of them as Arabia and many other oriental and eastern countries were often used as symbols of something mystical and magical. In Araby, Joyce shows that there is nothing mystical about that kind of places and that they are as bad as Dublin is.

Answer 2

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

Step-by-step explanation:

Joyce's "Araby" emphasizes the "escape the monotony of daily life" as the central theme of the story. The author uses the symbol of darkness to represent the monotony in the beginning when the narrator waits for the bazaar constantly to buy a gift for his beloved that reflects his excess faith and devotion to Mangan's sister as it restricted him to escape this dinginess and monotony.

The narrator uses the symbol of the bazaar as the moment he steps into it, the gloominess is replaced by the brightness and light as this was the first time when he looked at the world with an adult symbolizes "loss of innocence" and escape from the monotony. The narrator considers the bazaar as an "inaccessible land of freedom" full of fantasy and illumination. However, he later feels dejected after being opposed to reality and faces disappointment.