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Essay / Literary Analysis of “Arabia” by James Joyce
Introduction: Stories are not mere words; they are our window into the past and our way of conceptualizing what the world was like in a different time, under different conditions, and, more importantly, how human experiences of the time shaped society. Background: James Joyce's 'Araby' is one of those stories that transports us to 19th century Dublin and, using the story of a teenager, it presents a well-crafted narrative of how Dublin looked at the Orient in the 19th century to locate its identity. Thesis Statement: Joyce does not overtly make a statement about Irish Orientalism, but by using Oriental dictions, references to the Arab bazaar, and other Orientalist metaphorical imagery, "Araby" reveals much more about 19th century Dublin century. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayTopic Sentence: As the 19th century neared its end, many Irish nationalists looked for a way to escape the clutches of the English colonialism. . This quest to fashion an identity different from that of the colonizers led them to use Orientalism to establish a deeper connection with the Orientals and create distance between the colonizers and themselves. In Arabia the most predominant way of establishing this is through diction. The use of the terms Araby and Bazaar is central to the idea of history. Evidence and Citation: The word Araby is used to project a romanticized idea of wealth and wealth where everything is good. Joyce describes this exotic feeling associated with words as an oriental enchantment: "The syllables of the word Araby called to me through the silence in which my soul basked and cast upon me an oriental enchantment." Topic Sentence: The second way in which James Joyce constructs his account of Irish Orientalism uses the Arabian Bazaar as the backdrop to the story. Evidence and Citation: Defined as a "splendid" place by Mangan's sister, it is established as a place where all is good and happy, a stark contrast to the gloomy darkness that has engulfed the streets of Dublin. The concept of Araby Bazaar is rooted in the real-life charity bazaar “Grand Oriental Fête”. This traveling bazaar was an escapist fantasy of Irish nationalists who had romanticized ideas about the Orient. It was once a very popular source of entertainment. Evidence and Citation: The general idea was stereotypically rooted in Orientalism. The most obvious way this shows is how women were treated in these bazaars. The demonization of female workers as a commodity to entertain shoppers was the most perverse feature of these bazaars. Commentary: It is implied that the woman the boys go to at the bazaar was flirting with two men. The author thus shows the sinister side of Irish orientalism. Evidence and Quote: The other way it shows is when Mangan's parents don't allow their daughter to go to this "depraved" Arab bazaar. Comment: The attempt to associate the inhumane treatment of women with something oriental is orientalism in its purest form. Topic Sentence: While Araby Bazaar is depicted at the beginning as a romantic place where dreams come true, by the end of the story, Joyce establishes that it is nothing but a depraved place. The boy comes full circle. By not buying anything from the saleswoman whom he saw flirting and whom he therefore considers to be a sexual deviant, he rejects the idea of finding an identity in Irish orientalism. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get personalized paper now from our.