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Joyce once remarked that in Dubliners, his aim was "to write a chapter of the moral history of" Ireland, as he viewed Dublin as the "centre of paralysis." What do you think he meant by this? If you were to write a chapter of your country's moral history, which city would you place at the center? Why?

A common motif in many stories within Dubliners is a desire to escape, often depicted through fantasies of fleeing to an Eastern and exotic locale. What place embodies the unknown for you? Research this location and discuss whether it is genuinely exotic and mysterious or simply different.

Catholicism plays a significant role in much of Joyce's literature. Compare the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland at the turn of the century with its influence today. Would the themes of religious confusion and doubt in "Araby" spark controversy in contemporary Ireland?

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