Araby

by

James Joyce

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Young female shopkeeper Character Analysis

A young woman who is flirting with two men as the narrator approaches her stall at the Araby bazaar. The narrator notices that she and the men she talks to all have English accents. The woman approaches the narrator to ask him if he is planning to buy anything, but he notes that she does not sound “encouraging” and seems to speak to him only because it is her job. She brings the narrator to the realization that he is not, in fact, going to buy anything. Further, her English accent seems to communicate to the narrator that the Araby market is not, as he had fantasized, some exotic escape from his drab life in Ireland at all. And her flirting with the Englishmen seems to make him see that the silliness and vanity of his own attempt to impress Mangan’s sister with a gift.

Young female shopkeeper Quotes in Araby

The Araby quotes below are all either spoken by Young female shopkeeper or refer to Young female shopkeeper. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Coming of Age Theme Icon
).
Araby Quotes

Remembering with difficulty why I had come I went over to one of the stalls and examined porcelain vases and flowered tea sets. At the door of the stall a young lady was talking and laughing with two young gentlemen. I remarked their English accents and listened vaguely to their conversation.

Related Characters: The narrator (speaker), Young female shopkeeper
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:

Observing me the young lady came over and asked me did I wish to buy anything. The tone of her voice was not encouraging; she seemed to have spoken to me out of a sense of duty. I looked humbly at the great jars that stood like eastern guards at either side of the dark entrance to the stall…

Related Characters: The narrator (speaker), Young female shopkeeper
Related Symbols: Light and Darkness
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
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Young female shopkeeper Quotes in Araby

The Araby quotes below are all either spoken by Young female shopkeeper or refer to Young female shopkeeper. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Coming of Age Theme Icon
).
Araby Quotes

Remembering with difficulty why I had come I went over to one of the stalls and examined porcelain vases and flowered tea sets. At the door of the stall a young lady was talking and laughing with two young gentlemen. I remarked their English accents and listened vaguely to their conversation.

Related Characters: The narrator (speaker), Young female shopkeeper
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:

Observing me the young lady came over and asked me did I wish to buy anything. The tone of her voice was not encouraging; she seemed to have spoken to me out of a sense of duty. I looked humbly at the great jars that stood like eastern guards at either side of the dark entrance to the stall…

Related Characters: The narrator (speaker), Young female shopkeeper
Related Symbols: Light and Darkness
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis: