Question

refer to explorations in literature for a complete version of this story
in \araby,\ james joyce uses many archetypal images: the innocent youth, the mysterious female, and the distracted adult
how does the distracted adult affect the meaning of the story?
he changes the outcome of the story by making the boy regret wanting to go the market in the first place.
he is an object of the main characters affection as the bumbling uncle who likes to quote poetry
he creates tension in the story as the uncle who gets home late and forgets about the boys intentions
he is the antagonist of the story who constantly thwarts the boys attempts to express his feelings toward the girl

Explanation:

In "Araby," the boy is excited to go to the bazaar (Araby) to buy a gift for the girl he has a crush on. The uncle (the distracted adult) comes home late. This delay creates tension. The boy is worried about getting to the bazaar on time. The uncle's distraction (forgetting about the boy's intentions initially) builds up the suspense and affects the boy's experience. It makes the boy's journey to the bazaar more fraught with anxiety. When the uncle finally remembers and gives the boy money, the late hour means the bazaar is closing down when the boy arrives. His hopes of having a magical, romantic experience (buying a nice gift for the girl) are dashed. The uncle's lateness (as a distracted adult) is a key element that leads to the boy's disillusionment at the end.

Answer:

He creates tension in the story as the uncle who gets home late and forgets about the boy’s intentions.