How Cliche: The Irish Girl is a Fan of James Joyce

 

When I noticed we were going to read James Joyce in our class-- I was really excited!


In my senior year of high school, I took a class on Irish Literature and the entire class revolved around Joyce's works. While we mentioned Joyce's other works we primarily focused on Joyce's short stories in the collection "Dubliners." 

I enjoyed "Dubliners" a great deal because it not only showcased how talented Joyce is at storytelling but, it connects me to my heritage. My last name is McGinty, how could I become any more Irish?! I Irish Danced as a kid, I have a large Irish family who VERY much enjoys alcohol, dare I go on? 


Reading "Araby" in class this past week was rewarding. I was surprised I remembered as much as I did about the story considering I have been out of high school and that class for almost three years now-- thank goodness! 


"Araby" follows the story of a young boy who is madly in love with his friend's older sister Managan's Sister being her only official title. The young woman the boy is fascinated with is described as beautiful and very sweet. The boy and his sister have only had small exchanges but, upon the one major exchange the two share, the boy's sister is saddened that she will not be able to attend the local Bazar-- appropriately named "Araby." The young boy then takes every opportunity to make it to this Bazar. Despite the obstacles that stand in this young boy's way, he makes it to the Bazar before closing. The story ends with the boy in a state of anger- an unprovoked emotion and ends that have been widely discussed for quite some time. 


Joyce is skilled at numerous things and his short stories best highlight these talents. First, his way of incorporating children and youth into his works. This first example could be a whole work of literature of itself. The method that Joyce incorporates children into his work often carries a theme of youth correlating as a symbol of wonder-- or perhaps curiosity. Second, Joyce is very skilled when it comes to setting the tone of his works. One can easily picture Araby in his/her head and the mystery of the nighttime surrounding him. Lastly, As an Irish woman, I appreciate the heritage and setting of Ireland serving as the backdrop to his stories. Getting to know a small part of Irish literature is something I love getting to dabble with. I especially love to discuss and dissect how Irish Literature compares to English literature and American literature at the time these stories were written!

Location: Erie, PA, USA

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