Final answer:
The wild garden in 'Araby' symbolizes forbidden desires, echoing a common literary theme where nature represents natural instincts and emotions, particularly those that society represses. Such symbolism is emphasized in various movements, including romanticism, which celebrated the beauty and value of nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The wild garden in Araby is often interpreted as representing forbidden desires. This symbolic setting aligns with the narrative theme of yearning and the allure of things that remain just out of reach for the protagonist. Similar to how lilacs flourish untended in full sun and signify a desire to grow wild and unrestrained, the wild garden in the story resonates with the concept of an untamed, organic space that is associated with the natural instincts and desires that the protagonist feels, but is unsure how to express or act upon. This theme is pervasive in literature, as nature is commonly used as a vehicle to explore human emotions and desires that are considered taboo or repressed in society. The wild elements of a garden, juxtaposed with the controlled environment typically associated with such a space, mirrors the conflict between social expectations and personal longing.
Representations of nature in literature often carry significant symbolic weight. For instance, in romanticism, which is an artistic and literary movement that glorified nature, common people, exotic places, and the historical past, wilderness was depicted as a positive concept in direct opposition to earlier views that saw it as chaotic and morally confusing. This is evident in poetic works where, through techniques like chremamorphism, boundaries between the human and the natural world are blurred—nature is personified and given human traits, while humans are depicted with characteristics typical of nature, emphasizing the intrinsic value and beauty of the natural world.