Araby

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Research and Analysis: Identifying Joyce in ‘Araby’”

In this activity, students will write a research paper analyzing how Joyce incorporated his background into “Araby.”

Throughout his works, Joyce incorporated elements of his past into his writings. For this Activity, you will research Joyce’s background and family history and analyze “Araby” for references to his life. Use the following questions to structure your research paper:

• What is Joyce’s background?
• How did Joyce use his background in his texts?
• How did Joyce incorporate the themes of Love and Religion, Innocence and Shame, or Death and Absence throughout his various texts?
• Which elements in “Araby” from his background are most prominent?

After drafting your paper, share your work with a classmate in a peer-review process. Finally, share an abstract of your work with your classmates in an informal presentation and consider the similarities and differences of analysis among your classmates.

Teaching Suggestion: This Activity invites students to make connections between Joyce’s life and his writings, specifically “Araby,” in the format of a research and analysis paper. Depending on the level of the class, this Activity is a good opportunity to introduce students to the research paper submission process (i.