Homework Question on Comparison between “Eveline and Araby”
- Compare and contrast James Joyce’s short stories “Eveline” and “Araby.” In what ways are they alike in terms of theme. writing style, and depiction of life in Dublin at the turn of the century? In what ways are they different?
Homework Answer on Comparison between “Eveline and Araby”
Eveline and Araby are short stories by James Joyce that is mainly based on the life of Dubliners in the turn of the century. The two stories share a number of similarities in reference theme, style used and the depiction of life in Ireland Dublin during the turn of century by the author. In spite of the many similarities, they also have distinct differences.
The themes to the two stories are similar. In both “Eveline” and “Araby”, the two main characters portray the theme of prison of monotony. In both stories, the author indicates that the people of Dublin are trapped in a life of continuous frustration, violence and restraint. Dubliners feel like they are trapped in a life of same routine and they cannot escape this situation. In Araby, the boy is delayed by his uncle; hence, he was unable to reach the market on time.
As a result, he was not able to buy a gift for the girl he loved because the shops were already closed. The boy therefore felt frustrated by this kind of life full of delays. The boy felt that his dreams to get the girl of his dream had vanished. This situation indicates the frustration and restraint the boy and the community at large are facing. The short story “Eveline” is also based on this theme as portrayed by Eveline (Joyce 25). Eveline is seen as trapped in a life where she has to take care of her siblings.