Use the process described on page 106 and investigate the symbolism of the fence in “Araby.”
(Mangan’s sister stands behind it.) “Araby” can be found on this blog.
Use the process described on page 106 and investigate the symbolism of the fence in “Araby.”
(Mangan’s sister stands behind it.) “Araby” can be found on this blog.
Posted by: James Lynn
ReplyDeleteThe first step of the process states to break the work down into parts. Big parts that I notice is that the main character seems to love Mangan's sister. He wants the sister to go to the bazaar with him, but she cannot go. The main character's uncle gives him permission to go, but forgets about it until it is very late. The main character looks for something to buy from the bazaar, but loses interest.
In the story, I see nothing related to a fence. If I had to guess, I would say that the fence represents a gate between the sister and the main character; the gate shows that the sister doesn't share the same feelings for the main character, and is not open to him.
You did see something
DeleteWhat you stated in the last sentence is the relation to a "fence" within the story. The fence is the gate between the main character and Mangan's sister. He likes her and she doesn't like him.
DeleteGreat observation, give yourself more credit!
DeleteEven though the word fence wasn't mentioned, I do agree with your assessment of the situation.
DeleteThe gate makes a lot of sense, it being one sided. Great job!
DeletePost by: Sofia Ricra
ReplyDeleteI believe the fence in the Araby represents a barrier. It was a sign that was given to the young boy. The fence was attempting to warn the boy that he shouldn’t pursue the girl on the other side. We learn in the story that Mangan’s sister is not a good person and is not interested in the boy, who seems to have developed a sort of infatuation with the girl. The fence is trying to tell the boy that he would get hurt emotionally because of her. She would only talk to him when she wanted something from him. It could also mean that she feels nothing towards him and she will always have that “barrier”, not letting him in.
The idea that the fence represented a warning to the narrator is very interesting, something I didn't pick up on while reading the story.
DeleteWow that makes since too, it pretty much was just trying to stop him and he should of just went with the flow but did not. Interesting, great job!
DeleteThat made me think. It almost seems like Mangan's sister is in jail; after all, she can not leave and is seen as evil.
DeleteI never thought of the fence as a warning, but it's a take on the story I never would've noticed myself.
Delete-Piper Colangelo
I agree that the fence is like a "barrier".
DeleteNice take on the symbol
DeleteThis makes lots of sense, interesting thoughts.
DeleteThis makes sense. Great thoughts.
DeleteThe fence in Araby is what seperantes the young boy from this girl he is so infatuated with. They have never really even spoken, and now that they finally have, it is still through a fence. This boy can't get close to Mangan's sister no matter how hard he tries. She doesn't care for him. She is only interested in where he is going, the bazaar. These two have very different feelings for eachother and th fence represents that by having this boy, with his hand on the fence, clinging to the conversation he's having with Mangan's sister, while the sister, stands on the other side, not touching anything, reponding only for pity. It is as if she is using him, and he is so in "love" with her that he falls for it.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Interesting points!
DeleteSo the fence separates the two like night and day. One wants nothing to do with the other, and one has complete infatuation.This is fantastic analyzing of the story.
DeleteThe fence is a hidden symbol within the story Araby, and easily overlooked but still creates the biggest foreshadowing in this short story it can tell of a trial yet to come and how it will affect him in the future parts of the story the fence symbolizes and is also a literary barrier between him and something else and he can pass through this barrier if he wants to but it also creates the imminent feeling that he will pass through this barrier later on, and he does which makes this hidden fence a way of foretelling future events to come later on in the piece, this is one of the many ways symbolism is used and one of the more fun types to look out for is Easter eggs which this fence might also count as one towards his childhood, the fence might have been one of the most common places he looked at during his spare time which also may be the same in a sense in the current part of his life.
ReplyDeletePost By : Dalton Harmon
Please use periods.
DeleteIn “Araby” I see no mention of a fence and the only place I see reference to a fence is the use of the word railing. One of the main stuations I find this from is when Mangan’s sister spoke to the protagonis. In this situation the implied fence reminds me of prizon bars and seems to be sybolic of the fact that Mangan’s sister is bound by the obligations she has already madeand thus, can not go.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this portion of the story did create a fence. If Mangan's sister showed interest in the protagonist, she would have shown it. However, she did not, thus instituting a fence.
DeleteI like the idea of the fence representing prison bars compared to her obligations.
DeleteAleigha
Interesting thoughts. I wouldn't have ever thought of the fence as prison bars.
DeletePost By: Kayla Shannon
ReplyDeleteThe fence in "Araby" separates the narrator and Mangan's sister. This fence also represents something emotional. The narrator worships Mangan's sister so much that it is almost unreal and untouchable.
Like a fence would separate two yards from being crossed, the fence in this is separating them. This fence she is standing by symbolizes, in a way, how secluded Mangan's sister truly is.
I agree, the fence represents something emotional. He's develop a sort of infatuation with this girl but she feel nothing for him.
DeleteI completely agree. If she wanted to get around the fence she could've, but didn't and the narrator just doesn't realize it.
Delete-Piper Colangelo
I agree with your post. The fence does separate both the characters and is a reminder that Mangan's sister can not be reached by the boy.
DeleteI agree with the seclusion symbol
DeleteThough this idea didn't occur to me before, I believe this to be a more valid idea than mine. it also connects to the allusion to the fall of Adam and Eve that Foster speaks of in chapter 7. Said connection is symbolic of the division placed between God and Man.
DeletePost by: Alanie O’Dell
ReplyDeleteIn James Joyce’s “Araby,” the narrator pines over his friend’s sister. Each time he sees her, she is calling out to her brother to come inside their home. She never leaves the doorstep to her home. The narrator is outside playing with his friends, on the other side of the fence from his love interest.
In “Araby,” I think that the fence is symbolic of the social and emotional barriers between the narrator and his friend’s sister. The story is set in a very religious environment, so interaction between sexes, especially that of younger children, is strictly limited. Also, the two only talk once or twice, so they are never very close. The fence both physically separates them from each other, as well as serves as a visual symbol of their social and emotional separation.
The point in the story that they are the closest, is when they are both standing at the railings of the fence. The narrator is on the opposite side of the fence as his friend’s sister, of course, but they are engaging in a conversation as to whether or not they’re attending Araby, which is the closest readers see the two interact. The narrator learns that she cannot go, and once again the fence is representative of an emotional and social barrier. Being at the railings, this represents that they are as close as they could be, without completely defying boundaries. The narrator learns more about his love interest and is just a little closer to her in that moment, hence both of them being near the symbol of their separation.
I agree, I think that the fence is a emotional barrier between the two.
DeleteFences can come in many states and are often laid set with the goal to separate two different objects. Our first viewing of the fence comes from when our protagonist talks about Mangan's sister. Walls like the Great Wall China and Korea often remind us just how these things separate people from coinciding. Perhaps this could be symbolic for the destruction of trade due to the fact that the sisters unable to leave go to the bazaar, and the promised gift from the bazaar may relate to agreement of peace between countries. I personally fancy the idea that the wall represents the protagonist's inner turmoil. He truly does not completely understand how to communicate well;because, he had to wait for her to speak to him. His shyness may have been a wall inside himself that he could not understand. Rather than coming to terms with himself, he decided that it would be easier to just go around the wall rather than breaking it. The gift of a vase from the bazaar would make her open up to him, so he would not have to overcome his shyness and admit his adoration for her. If he had actually communicated with her, he would have realized that she was only using him for her benefit.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and I would not have seen it that way how the bazaar is the peace offering to her.
DeletePosted by: Caleb Costner
ReplyDeleteI think the fence symbolizes a barrier. The fence was a warning signal for the narrator, so he could realize how the sister really was. The barrier was used to express the love of the narrator to the sister. How? He wanted over the fence to be with the sister, but was never able to finish his attempt to the top. In the story, we are able to realize that the sister wanted nothing to do with the narrator, except when she wanted materialistic things from the market place. It is not hard to realize that the narrator is infatuated with the sister, and would do anything to get her to realize him. Doing this, the sister was able to use the narrator to get what she wanted.
The fence is allowing the narrator to understand how the sister is really treating him. He was able to understand that she never really cared for him at the end of the story.
I thought of the fence as a barrier but never a warning signal for the narrator, that's clever.
DeleteI agree that the fence was meant to tell the reader that she didn't feel the same and that she was just using him.
DeleteI never thought of the fence as a warning signal! That's a great idea.
DeleteI seen the fence as a warning, but not in the same way she did. Your connection is good, and it makes sense.
DeleteAleigha
I never thought of the fence this way. Great job!
DeleteThinking of the fence this way was a great idea.
DeleteThe symbolism of the fence in Araby begins with the motivation of the main character that leads him to a specific place. He is determined to buy a gift for the girl he is in love with. The author begins to describe his journey to this place in a suspenseful manner like when his uncles forgets to give him the money, worry of not getting there on time and when he finally arrives there he only has ten minutes before it closes. The possibility of the boy realizing his goal are slim and when he finally see's the magical word "The Bazaar," he enters and this symbolizes hope to the reader. Suddenly, he goes through the entrance and finds the place to be a big disappointment by noticing that most of the stalls were closed and most of the area was in darkness. More importantly than the fence itself, its the reason for the boy to get through there and learn that his motivation of vanity was the wrong path to take.
ReplyDeleteVery unique thought, much different than what went through my head! Great job.
DeletePost by: Tiffany Weresow
ReplyDeleteThe symbolism of a “fence” in “Araby” by James Joyce is first shown while the boy and Mangan’s sister had spoken for the first time. The boy is obviously completely infatuated with this girl and would do just anything for her to offer him the love that he has to offer her. The barrier, however, is one that Mangan’s sister has by not having the capability to withhold feelings for the boy who so desperately wants her. If the sister did have feelings for this boy, she would have made it present by stepping around the fence. Instead, the sister stayed behind this barrier of feelings, showing that she has no interest in crossing over or through this fence and advancing the relationship to something more. A fence is something built in order to keep one to themselves and others away from them. Mangan’s sister is keeping the boy out for the sake of the story’s plot. If the boy wasn’t meant to be kept out, she would have made an effort to express feelings for him. However, the couple reside on opposite sides of this barrier that keeps them apart and restrains them from ever being together.
I agree that the girl is the one who created the fence and that they would never work out. The boy wants to be with her, but she does not feel the same.
DeleteI like how you state that she does not have the capability to have feelings.
DeletePosted By: Anna K-S
ReplyDeleteThe fence in “Araby” is not really a fence, it’s a symbol of not being able to connect completely or a symbol of separation. The first instance of the fence is in the first few paragraphs when the reader realizes the boy likes the girl. The last instance of a fence is the railing between the boy and girl when they’re talking about going to bazaar. The railing showed a separation literally and figuratively. Separation is shown literally because it separated the boy and girl, the separation is shown figuratively because the boy likes the girl but the girl doesn’t like the boy back. Other than the two instances above I feel “Araby” has no other mention of a fence.
I agree how the fence shows how the boy like the girl but the girl doesn't like him back.
DeleteI like how you described the fence in the beginning. Good work!
Delete
ReplyDeleteIn “Araby” the fence that separates Mangan’s sister and the narrator is very symbolic. This fence physically and emotionally separates the two of them. I think that is symbolizes how they are two completely different people and that can be what causes them to not be together. In a way the narrator is innocent and Mangan’s sister is not. She uses him to get what she wants and he obliges because he’s too blinded by his infatuation by her. If she really wanted to she could find a way to get to the other side of the fence because if she truly did like him the way he liked her it would be just another small barrier, but to him it’s this huge barrier because he can’t do anything to get to the other side without her help.
-Piper Colangelo
Interesting interpretation and he was just blind sighted the whole time and it makes since, if she wanted him she would of found a way around the fence. Great job.
DeleteI also seen the physical and emotional barrier. I agree, the emotional barrier is because he likes Mangan's sister but Mangan's sister doesn't like him back.
DeleteThat's something I didn't think about. Good interpretation.
DeletePosted by Maria McDonald:
ReplyDeleteSymbolism can be used to find an underlying theme to understand the character's or author's motifs. In the story "Araby" the fence is actually not a fence, but a symbol. I think the fence represents separation or not being able to be together completely. In the story, the narrator and Mangan's sister are two completely different people, like they are from different worlds. Mangan's sister uses the narrator to her advantage but the narrator is too infatuated with her to notice. Because of this, they can never truly be together because Mangan's sister doesn't even want the narrator to begin with the way he wants her.The fence serves as a barrier that keeps them from being together. This lead to the theme that things may not always be as they seem because during his lessons, the narrator learned that everything is pure but that was not the case with Mangan's sister because he was kept away from her by the "fence."
I agree with you. I also think that the fence represents separation and a difference between the to.
DeletePost by: Hannah Cribby
ReplyDeleteThere is no fence mentioned in this story; it is simply what is separating the boy and girl apart. The "fence" in 'Araby' is the thing keeping the boy from being in a relationship with the girl. There is a fence because the girl doesn't want to be with the boy; she doesn't share the feelings the boy has with her. If the girl wanted to be with him she would've shown interest or spent more time with him; instead she is keeping space between them which is the "fence" in the story. The only reason she spoke with him is because she thought that he would do whatever she wanted him to do.
I agree with what you are saying. Specially with the crush thing and about how if she wanted him, she would have made a move.
DeleteI agree, the fence is keeping them apart. The girl never wanted the boy, but he wanted her.
DeleteThe short story Araby, by James Joyce, the narrator has a fondness for Mangan's sister. The narrator has a hopeless crush over her and he doesn't fully know the girl and just watches her from afar.
ReplyDeleteSymbolism is common in works of literature and an example of symbolism in Araby would be the "fence". The "fence" represents an emotional and physical boundary in the story. Mangan's sister doesn't appear to have any feelings for the narrator and she only uses him. Not only in works of literature, but in real life, fences are used to block areas off and to keep people away. In this case, the "fence" is used to, in a way, block off the feelings the narrator has for his friends sister.
I agree with how the fence shows emotional and physical distance.
DeleteMy thoughts were the same. The "fence" was actually a barrier that prevented them from being together.
DeleteThis is a great point, wonderful observation.
DeleteIn Araby, Mangon's sister seems to be distant from the main character. In one scene, she is standing behind a fence and is talking the unnamed main character. The symbolism behind the fence is to show physical distance between the two. He is always watching Mangon's sister from a distance. Since he always watches her, then he must have a crush on her. The distance could also show the emotional distance. The fence shows Mangon's sister is still distant and unattainable to the main character whenever they talk.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea of the fence being an emotional barrier. It symbolizes the difference between them. Mangan's sister does not have the same feelings for the boy and the fence keeps them from being together.
DeletePost by: Grace Deaton
DeletePosted By: Adison Costner
ReplyDeleteIn the story “Araby” I believe that the fence represents a barrier between the two sisters. I think that the fence might stand for a barrier that they have put up over an unresolved issue. I think that this fence is used to create a sense of tension between the two sisters. I also think that the fence represent tension with the aunt too. In the end it said that she was mad and crying. Therefore I think that she may have problem with many people.
I would have never thought of the barrier being between the sisters. I only thought of it for the sister and the narrator. ~ Caleb C.
DeleteBy: Ling
ReplyDeleteIn the book "Araby",the fence separates the narrator and the girl physically but also emotionally. The fences symbolized the barrier that is keeping the narrator and the girl apart.Even though the narrator loves the girl, she don't love him back and doesn't want a relationship. The fences can symbolized the emotional distance that is keeping them apart.
I agree but I think that the fence can one day be jumped or the barrier can be torn down.
Delete-Kalynne Helms
Symbolism is found in all works of literature. They are used to give an item or action a deeper meaning. However, a symbol does not mean only one thing, it has a variety of different possible meanings. This can be seen with the fence in Araby.
ReplyDeleteIn the story, the protagonist is infatuated with Mangan’s sister. They barely talk, however, when they do, a fence is present. Mangan’s sister is always standing behind it, as the fence separates the two characters. The fence acts as an obstacle that prevents the two from fully being together. I believe that this fence symbolizes the boys conscience and shows that the girl is unreachable.
In the real world, fences are used to both keep people in and keep people out. The fence keeps him away from her and shows that she is unreachable. The fence could be a symbol of the protagonist's conscience as he is in love with the sister but deep down he knows they can not be together. This explains why he barely talks to the girl. He knows he must grow up and learn more about life before giving in to his feelings.
I love how you made the real world connections.
DeleteI agree with Maria. The real world connections are good!
DeleteThis is a really great connection
DeletePosted by: Aleigha Letterman
ReplyDeleteIn the short story Araby, written by James Joyce, there is a fence between the main character and Mangon's sister. The fence is a symbolic in this story in many ways, but it mostly serves as a barrier between the two. The fence is something that separates the love of them and shows that they are not together in that moment, but a fence is not permanent, it can be climbed. The two don't talk much, but when they do there is always something that separates them. The fence doesn't keep the two away from each other, but it keeps them separate.
In a way the fence can be looked at as what God's warning to Adam and Eve. My warning is different than Caleb's. God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit, but Eve talked Adam into eating the fruit. The way I see it is that the fence was crossed when the forbidden fruit was eaten.
I completely agree with you and the barrier.
Delete-Kalynne H.
By:Kalynne Helms
ReplyDeleteI think the fence is a barrier. The boy was kind of stalking Mangan's sister but when they did talk for the first time, the fence was separating them. A barrier for love perhaps? Fences though, can be jumped or if you look down the line maybe there is a gate. Fences can be climbed or beat. The boy wanted to break the barrier so he went to buy a gift for her. He loved her, I guess you could say but she did not return the feelings. But again, it is a fence. Maybe one day Mangan's sister will have feelings in return and they can overcome the fence. At least he gets to see her every now and then. He just has to wait.
I didn't think that the fence was a barrier for them not to be in love. ~ Caleb C.
DeleteThe fence in the story “Araby” for me symbolized a one sided love, or like. A gate can normally open from one side only. Picture this, the narrator is on the outside wanting to come in, but cannot because the gates latch is on the inside with Mangan’s sister. Yet, he can still talk to her, and such so he is not completely separated for her. The narrator has limits and Mangan’s sister has all the control, like whether she opens the gate or not to start with. However, the narrator is too caught up in liking her to notice she is taking advantage of him and that she is getting all of the control.
ReplyDeleteSo, to recap I believe the fence symbolizes a line in the sand or a certain type of restriction. Yet, I don’t think it is there because of destiny or fate, rather the girl. If she wanted to be with the boy she would have opened the fence so to speak. But, she didn’t because she never shared his feelings, she simply took advantage of him, knowing that he would do whatever for her.
The fence not only represents a barrier, but it represents a warning. Things happen for a reason and the narrator seem to completely forget that. The narrator couldn't get over the fence and it was showing that the sister actually wanted nothing but the items. She didn't want anything the author had to offer other than the materialistic things. The fence was there to basically say, "Hey! You're being used!" Eventually, the narrator was finally able to understand her true feelings towards him.
ReplyDelete-Laurie Ricardo
Great example, I thought of it as a barrier but I didn't think about it being a warning.
DeleteThe fence can represent a mental barrier in the fact that he cannot bring himself to talk to her, but merely walk behind her and then pass her quickly. Even when he gets the chance to talk to her “[his] senses seemed to desire to veil themselves”. He can’t break through that fence.
ReplyDeleteIt could also be interpreted as her not feeling the same way, effectively acting as a barrier due to unreciprocated feelings. He does not address this in the story, and the protagonist never thinks that she doesn’t reciprocate the affection, but I believe that this is what the fence stands for in this short story.
By: Aaron N
The fence is a symbol of the story showing separation from the girl and guy. The girl is not wanting to be with the guy. She has no feelings for him and the only reason she talks to him is because she believes since he has feelings for her he will do anything she ask him to. She is using him. That is why the mental fence is there in this story.
ReplyDeleteBy: Haylee Franckewitz
DeleteElizabeth Suarez.
ReplyDeleteThe fence was used to represent a barrier between Mangans sister and the boy in the story. Though the boy has feelings for her, she does not reciprocate them. The fence is a barrier that shows Mangans sister does not have feelings for the boy and that the boy would have to figure out a way to get across it if he liked her enough.
Use past literary knowledge and guess. Break down the piece of lit into manageable pieces. Associate and brainstorm freely. Organize your thought into categories or groups. Ask questions of the text. Listen to your instincts.
ReplyDeleteThe fence in Araby is physically separating the narrator and Mangan's sister, although it could also be a representation of their emotional separation because the the narrator is experiencing an unrequited love.
It could also be a religious separation because Mangan's sister is in a convent, being she will be a nun, who are not allowed to be in relationships. Overall, the fence definitely means more than a physical separation between the narrator an Mangans sister.
In literature, symbolism can be used in many ways. In “Araby” the fence is a form of symbolism. I believe that the main character has a crush on Mangan’s sister. However, he likes her she does not like him so the fact that she does not like him is what is acting as a fence and prevent him of reaching his goal of getting with her. Another way that I would look at this situation is simply by thinking that she is behind a fence that he cannot cross because she does not want to be around him even though he wants to be around her.
ReplyDelete-Alex Salce
By Noah Wollin
ReplyDeleteThe fence in "Araby" is a symbol of the one-sided feelings. It represents how they will never be together in a sense of romance because of the feelings he has that is not shared back. The fence is between the narrator and Mangan's sister. He likes her, but the feeling is not the same back, therefore separating the two from being together romantically. She instead uses his feelings to get what she wants and nothing more. They can talk through this metaphorical fence and she has the ability to let him through it, but does not because of her feeling towards him.
Chapter 12 really helped me on the question. The fence, what does it mean and what does it stand for? I will start with the easier of the two, what does it stand for? The fence stands as a barrier, for one the barrier is a sad hindrance, for the other a place of protection, almost like a bird in a cage with a cat circling around. Now what does that fence mean? I viewed the fence as a cage. The hungry cat circling the cage could be seen as the shy boy and the smart bird as the girl. The smart bird can find ways to gamble and use the cat to its advantage such as unlocking the cage. Meaning the cat would be used and the bird flying and soaring to new heights.
ReplyDelete~Christopher Johnson
The fence in “Araby” represents the huge valley that separates the main character from Mangan’s sister. They will never be together and the “love” that he has for her is not truly what he thinks it is. It is almost as if the fence is changing his perception of her and what he thinks of her. He doesn’t really love her, but the imitation of her that his mind has created to appease his need for someone to connect with.
ReplyDelete- Sarah Macon
Post By: Karmen Scruggs
ReplyDeleteWhen reading this story, the fence initially just seemed physical to me. When thinking about it deeper, it was obvious that the fence stood for more than that.
The fence is a representation of an emotional barrier between the two people. This is a interesting thing that the author was obviously careful and thoughtful when putting in there. The two people are separated, not only physically but also emotionally. This is a huge part of the story that I' happy I was able to catch on to.
Objects often have a symbolic value, in this case I think the fence is a way of showing that the boy is a bit pushy. Hes is unconscious that in his desire to have the girl that is clearly only interested for fun he’s buying a one way ticket to heartbreak, The fence itself doesn’t do much but separate the two implying the are two different people that don’t need to be on the same side. They both don't need each other, for one the other is what he very much desires and for the other it's who she least wants and she will only use him. The fence is the way of trying to keep the boys heart safe from breaking and he's trying to open it but the fact is the girl's background is bad enough without him. The fence is a symbolic barrier in between them. -Stephanie Martinez
ReplyDeletePost by: Kayla Williamson
ReplyDeleteIn "Araby" the protagonist has a crush on Mangan's sister, even though they have hardly even spoken before. He waits for her to come outside so he can watch and follow her. The first time they speak to each other is through a fence. I think the fence symbolizes the feelings the two have for one another. The protagonist has very strong feelings for her, while she feels nothing towards him. The fence represents how she has no feelings for him and it is sort of a barrier between them. Fences can be taken down and this shows that the protagonist may be able to overcome the distance.
ReplyDeleteIn "Araby" the protagonist has a crush on Mangan's sister although she is always distant from our protagonist. The first time the two talk is through a fence. Fences are very symbolic of representing negative emotions such as captivity and oppression. I believe that the fence represents a sign that he was not meant to be with such girl. Although they were close together in distance their emotions were miles apart because Mangan’s sister never felt anything special during their talk whereas the boy did. However, fences are climbable so this could’ve also represented that he was going to overcome the emotional distance between them.
Post By: Cynthia Garcia