Question

In "Araby," James Joyce uses many archetypal images: the innocent youth, the mysterious female, and the distracted adult. How does the distracted adult affect the meaning of the story?
He is the antagonist of the story who constantly thwarts the boy's attempts to express his feelings toward the girl.

He changes the outcome of the story by making the boy regret wanting to go the market in the first place.

He creates tension in the story as the uncle who gets home late and forgets about the boy's intentions.

He is an object of the main character's affection as the bumbling uncle who likes to quote poetry.

Answer 1

In Araby by James Joyce the archetypal image of the distracted adult effects the meaning of the story by creating tension. The answer is C) He creates tension in the story as the uncle who gets home late forgets the boy's intentions. In the story the boy tells his uncle early of his intentions to go to the Bazaar and wanting his to come home early so that he could obtain transportation fare to get their. As the time passes and the boys uncle does not arrive as promised, tension builds and the boy becomes irritated at his uncle. Even after the uncle arrives and the boy is able to get to the Bazaar, he is angered because it is now closing down and he is not able purchase something there for the girl he likes.