From a New Point of View

Introduction

• I chose to return to a work that we have looked at previously this semester: Araby by James Joyce. Ever since we read this short story, there were many questions I had that went unanswered, so I decided to go back, reread the story, and tackle it again. 
• Claim: While Araby by James Joyce is often thought to express Joyce's displeasure with the Catholic Church in his homeland Ireland, the story actually shows a loneliness and longing towards the country and faith that Joyce had abandoned.

•  I think this divides an audience because it presents a new interpretation of the Christian symbolism used in the story. However, I'm maybe a little unsure about whether this thesis is strong enough to support a full analysis.

Section 1

• The standard interpretation of this work is that the Christian symbolism and exotic setting of the bazaar which the narrator encounters are a direct commentary on Joyce's unhappiness.  He was vocal in his life about rejecting the Catholic church, and he left Ireland in favor of many foreign countries. At a glance, he seemed to dislike Ireland and the church very much.

Section 2

• The main reason I think Araby is about Joyce's regret in leaving, and love for, faith and Ireland is because of the same strong Christian symbolism that give other people the opposite opinion. When this symbolism is considered from a different perspective, it is actually more nostalgic in nature than hateful

Section 3

• There are many symbolic moments and images within the story which support my interpretation: 

• The exotic bazaar -- The bazaar represents the world that Joyce desired to see, or in other words, the world that he wanted to escape from Ireland to. However, the conclusion of the story leaves the narrator disillusioned with the reality that the outside world is not the paradise he expected.
• The money the narrator received from his uncle -- The money that the narrator asks for from his uncle is symbolic of worldly desires. It takes him away from his home, from his religion, and whisks him away to the bazaar (the outside world). However, when he reaches the bazaar, the money isn't enough to bring him the happiness that he thought he would get.
• The Garden of Eden -- There are a few symbols which create a parallel of the Garden of Eden within the story. There are two pots at the entrance to the bazaar which have been interpreted as some to be symbolic of the burning angels which guarded the entrance to the Garden. In these interpretations, the bazaar is the Garden. However, there is also the apple tree in the narrator's backyard to consider. This could be the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In that case, Dublin would be the Garden of Eden, and the bazaar represents the outside world which the narrator finds himself lost in. This would explain how the the narrator -- and James Joyce -- feel sad and regretful at the conclusion of the story, having been deceived by foolish desires.