Ideas for Reports and Papers
1. Many stories in Dubliners feature a recurring theme of a desire to escape, often depicted through fantasies of fleeing to an Eastern and exotic locale. What place symbolizes the unknown for you? Investigate this location and discuss whether it is genuinely exotic and mysterious or simply different.
2. Catholicism plays a significant role in much of Joyce's work. Compare the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland at the turn of the century to its influence today. Would themes of religious confusion and doubt, as seen in "Araby," spark controversy in contemporary Ireland?
3. Examine the three books left by the previous resident of the narrator's house: "The Abbot," by Walter Scott, "The Devout Communicant," and "The Memoirs of Vidocq." What does each book signify within the context of the story?
4. Compare and contrast Joyce's depiction of Irish life with that of a modern writer, such as Roddy Doyle in Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.
5. Analyze "Araby" in relation to the other stories in Dubliners. Specifically, consider its placement within the overall structure of the collection and the themes and subjects it addresses.
6. What is the significance of "The Arab's Farewell to His Steed," the poem that the narrator's drunken uncle begins to recite to his wife as the boy departs for the bazaar, within the story?
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