Research Summary: “When It’s Time to Grow Up”
My research essay focus on the short story “Araby”, one of fifteen stories from the collection“Dubliners”, written by James Joyce. My thesis statement, word-for-word, is: “ The transition between the narrator’s childhood to adulthood is described through a series of symbolic imageries, where Joyce uses the contrast between lightness and darkness to exemplify the narrator’s growth, and reveal the story’s true meaning.”
The secondary source informations used so far to support my thesis are the Biography “James Joyce.” from Authors and Artists for Young Adults, vol. 42, Gale, 2002. Gale in Context: Biography in the BMCC library. This biography contains important informations about the collection “Dubliners” and how meaningful it was for Joyce to write about Dublin after he left Ireland, consequently being an inspiration for the upcoming stories. Moreover, it gives further details about how Joyce separated the stories in a chronological order, replicating the growth of the narrator and making “Araby” even more meaningful.
So far, I still did not find a reference about the imagery and the symbolism behind light and dark in the narrative.
3 thoughts on “Hayra Fabri Guimaraes, Discussion Week 10”
Thank you for posting your thesis statement. My students have not done this.
Now that you mentioned, I’ve realized that it was not clear on the text. The thesis is an analysis on the imagery, and the usage of dark and light to express the meaning and the emotions on the story.
Thank you for the heads up.
Hayra, it is not truly clear while reading the story at least from my perspective in regards to when our narrator goes from being a boy to that a man. My only suspicion is that it takes place some time on his way to the bazaar, leaving all of his childish wants and desires behind. Though the author’s use of imagery does lend itself well to making you feel as if you are in the narrator’s shoes. I look forward to reading what your thesis statement will be for your essay.