Both James Joyce’s “Araby” and Annie Dillard’s “The Chase” portray the coming of age of two young protagonists. Joyce’s “Araby” portrays the coming of age of a young boy who lives in an impoverished town. Though he navigates through his young life filled with dreams and aspirations of beauty and promise, he eventually encounters disappointment at the bazaar. Similarly, Dillard presents what she believes to be a prescription for living fully. During the chase, Dillard discovers a dichotomous view of life. She views adulthood from a child’s perspective and reveals her epiphany. But she also encounters a powerful disillusionment.
Your assignment is to focus on the theme of innocence and the impact of epiphanies. Both of these young protagonists experience an important awareness that is critical to their transformation from childhood to adulthood. But they experience this necessary insight through interacting with life. Do you believe children today still experience this type of epiphany from their daily experience within a technologically infused society? Consider the role of technology and the impact of the vanishing “nuclear family.”
Your answer to the bolded and underlined question becomes your thesis statement. Take a clear stance for or against children experiencing a powerful epiphany in the modern age. Then support your stance with clear, relevant quotes from both stories. You might consider some of the following elements of society:
Family—How is the role of family leading to or detracting from childhood epiphanies?
Friends—Are friends still a crucial element in a child’s life? If so, how?
Influential people or role models—media personalities, neighbors, teachers, coaches, etc.
Social sites—How have these replaced, if at all, children’s games that often led to discovery
and new insight? Has the internet removed much of the necessary romanticism or fantasy play crucial to a child’s development?
Games—How have video games enhanced or removed a child’s ability to experience life and gain
new awareness?
Conversations—Have phones removed a child’s need for privacy or have they provided an outlet?
Develop your topics in coherent paragraphs. You are encouraged to provide outside sources as support for your ideas. If you include research, follow MLA format when including parenthetical citations. Also, include a Works Cited page (even if you do not include research). Use the concepts you have learned in both the feedback included in your previous essays and the lessons on proper use of grammar and citation of outside sources to write a clear, well-developed essay. You must also attach an outline to the final draft. Remember that anything short of five to six pages will adversely affect the overall grade of your masterpiece. This is your chance to exhibit your insightful critical thinking skills. Be creative with this assignment and analyze Joyce’s “Araby” or Dillard’s “The Chase” from a unique perspective. Strive for originality and profundity.
