1.Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

In James Joyce's story "Araby," what does the archetypal hero's quest consist of?

He seeks to escape from a prison-like home that is guarded by hostile, archetypal adults.

He must battle against archetypal opponents in the Garden of Eden.

He must overcome obstacles and difficulties to win the pure maiden's love.

He tries to lose his innocence in order to grow up, and he succeeds in doing that.
2.Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

In "Araby," James Joyce uses many archetypal images: the innocent youth, the mysterious female, and the distracted adult.

How does the distracted adult affect the meaning of the story?

He is an object of the main character's affection as the bumbling uncle who likes to quote poetry.

He changes the outcome of the story by making the boy regret wanting to go the market in the first place.

He creates tension in the story as the uncle who gets home late and forgets about the boy's intentions.

He is the antagonist of the story who constantly thwarts the boy's attempts to express his feelings toward the girl.
3.Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

Read these sentences from "Araby" about the boy's frustration as he waits for his uncle to come home. Joyce uses the setting to allude to how the boy feels about this particular time in his life.

I mounted the staircase and gained the upper part of the house. The high cold empty gloomy rooms liberated me and I went from room to room singing. From the front window I saw my companions playing below in the street. Their cries reached me weakened and indistinct and, leaning my forehead against the cool glass, I looked over at the dark house where she lived.

How does this allusion affect the meaning of this passage?

It shows how the boy realizes he is outgrowing his friends as he looks down on them playing in the street.

It depicts how the boy's frustration with his uncle's lateness sends him upstairs to find other distractions.

It hints at how the boy's confusion about the girl makes him more understanding of his childish friends.

It describes how the boy seeks higher ground as a refuge from his confusion and passion for the girl.
4.Read these excerpts.

excerpt from “Araby” by James Joyce

The wild garden behind the house contained a central apple-tree and a few straggling bushes, under one of which I found the late tenant’s rusty bicycle-pump.

excerpt from “Genesis 2.9” from the Bible

The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

Which pair of quotations best shows how Joyce links the excerpt from Genesis with the excerpt from “Araby”?

“the… rusty bicycle-pump” with “good and evil”

“a few straggling bushes” with “the tree of life”

“a central apple-tree” with “the tree of knowledge”

“behind the house” with “middle of the garden”