Tonight, we’ll be reading the short story "Araby", from the collection "Dubliners", written by James Joyce in 1914. The stories in Dubliners form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak, and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences.