Araby | About the Author

James Joyce was born on February 2,1882, the oldest of ten children born to John and Mary Joyce. Joyce's father, though a good-natured man, was a habitual drinker who wasted the family's resources. The Joyce family moved constantly, and Joyce became familiar with the sight of a pawn broker's redemption slips and eviction notices.

In spite of his family's lack of money, Joyce was sent to Clongowes Wood College— a Jesuit Catholic boarding school— when he was six years old. Upon arrival, Joyce was asked his age, to which he replied, "half-past six," which became his nickname...

[The entire page is 485 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the: