What Are The Similarities Between A Little Cloud And Araby
James Joyce’s book, Dubliners is a compilation of fifteen short stories, each one has its own events and characters but retains the basic themes of the last. Two of Joyce’s short stories, “Araby” and “A Little Cloud” show the use of parallel themes excellently. Both stories have a similar setting but focus on two entirely different characters who each have their own life but are unsatisfied with it. “Araby” and “A Little Cloud” both share the ideas of an unachievable love and epiphanies. “Araby” begins with the narrator/protagonist describing his home and his childhood. When his friend Mangan is called home for dinner the narrator begins to explain that he is in love with Mangan’s sister. He tells of his adventures following her around and how she never leaves his mind, “Her image accompanied me even in places the most hostile to romance.” (Joyce, 20) When Mangan’s sister tells the narrator he should go to Araby he promptly accepts and spends the entire week anxiously waiting until he can go. When he finally gets to Araby he has an epiphany and realizes he was mistaken to go and that Mangan’s sister will never love him back.
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“A Little Cloud” begins by introducing Little Chandler, the main character and explaining how happy his life is.
Little Chandler then goes into a pub where he meets his childhood friend Ignatius Gallaher and falls in love with the idea of living Gallaher’s life. He goes home and tells his wife that he will watch the baby for her while she goes to the store but instead reads a poem and pretends to be a famous writer which wakes the baby. “It was useless. He couldn’t read. He couldn’t do anything. The wailing of the child pierced the drum of his ear. It was useless, useless! He was a prisoner for life.” (Joyce, 62) As the baby screams and Little Chandler cannot stop it he has an epiphany and realizes he will never become
famous.
It is easy to see that James Joyce uses a very similar if not parallel plot line in “Araby” and “A Little Cloud” along with a few other of his stories. This plot line may have different characters and a new setting for each story but it follows a structure. First there is an introduction to the main character and their life, followed by a desire to escape reality or an unachievable love, then the character makes a feeble attempt at living out that fantasy and finally they have an epiphany. At the end of both stories the main characters have an epiphany which brings them back to reality and leaves them feeling shameful, remorseful and literally alone in the dark. “Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity.” (Joyce, 24)
“A Little Cloud” begins by introducing Little Chandler, the main character and explaining how happy his life is.
Little Chandler then goes into a pub where he meets his childhood friend Ignatius Gallaher and falls in love with the idea of living Gallaher’s life. He goes home and tells his wife that he will watch the baby for her while she goes to the store but instead reads a poem and pretends to be a famous writer which wakes the baby. “It was useless. He couldn’t read. He couldn’t do anything. The wailing of the child pierced the drum of his ear. It was useless, useless! He was a prisoner for life.” (Joyce, 62) As the baby screams and Little Chandler cannot stop it he has an epiphany and realizes he will never become
famous.
It is easy to see that James Joyce uses a very similar if not parallel plot line in “Araby” and “A Little Cloud” along with a few other of his stories. This plot line may have different characters and a new setting for each story but it follows a structure. First there is an introduction to the main character and their life, followed by a desire to escape reality or an unachievable love, then the character makes a feeble attempt at living out that fantasy and finally they have an epiphany. At the end of both stories the main characters have an epiphany which brings them back to reality and leaves them feeling shameful, remorseful and literally alone in the dark. “Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity.” (Joyce, 24)