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 the antagonist of the story who constantly thwarts the boy's attempts to express his feelings toward the girl.

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