1. The first three stories in the collection, which focus on childhood, are narrated in the first person, while the rest are told in the third person. Why do you think the author chose this approach?

2. In "Araby," the way the narrator envisions himself, Mangan's sister, and the "Araby" bazaar reveals a lot about his youthful view of the world. How would you characterize these perceptions? How do the images he creates in his mind differ from the reality he lives in?

3. How does Joyce develop the characters of Mr. Doran, Mrs. Mooney, and Polly in "The Boarding House"? Why does Mr. Doran decide to marry Polly? To what extent is Polly aware of her mother's plans?

4. Examine Eveline's thoughts about the sailor, Frank, in "Eveline." Do you believe she would have found happiness if she had gone to Buenos Aires with him? What evidence suggests that this might not have been the case?

5. The title "A Little Cloud" references a Biblical passage, I Kings 18:44: "And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand." This little cloud signals the coming of a great rain, which the prophet Elijah calls forth to end a drought. What might this allusion signify in Joyce's story?

6. In "The Dead," our first in-depth look at Gabriel Conroy occurs during his conversation with Lily, the caretaker's daughter. What does this interaction reveal about him?

7. Trace the progression of Gabriel Conroy's thoughts from the moment he sees Gretta on the stairs listening to Bartell D'Arcy sing "The Lass of Aughrim" to the end of the story. What has he realized by the conclusion?

8. At the end of "The Dead," Gabriel contemplates that "the time had come for him to set out on his journey westward." Is this journey meant to be taken literally, like Miss Ivors' planned trip to the Aran Isles, or is it metaphorical, or perhaps both? Consider how the theme of journeys, both actual and thwarted, plays out in other stories in the collection.

9. The concept of "closure" refers to the sense that a story has reached its conclusion and that all its elements have been resolved. Which stories in the collection achieve closure? Which ones do not? Why do you think Joyce chose to leave some stories open-ended?

10. Looking back, Joyce believed he had portrayed Dublin too harshly in this collection, neglecting the city's more vibrant and generous aspects. Was he correct in this assessment? What evidence can be found in the book that highlights Dublin's positive qualities?