Araby

Araby

Introduction

James Joyce's collection “Dubliners” consists of fifteen short stories, which portrays the life in Dublin, Ireland, in twentieth century. “Araby” is told from the perspective of a boy, who was just at the verge of adolescent. This story is about the awakening of that boy to the real world, unlike the world he would like to see. At first glance it just seems to be only story of young boy's first love, however, in “Araby” James Joyce prefigures many themes, and it is considered one of the greatest English language stories (www.sparknotes.com).

Discussion

Araby is apparently a simple love story of an unnamed boy who lives in Dublin, at North Richmond Street. The boy falls in love with his friend's sister. Though he hardly meets or talks to her, yet he builds his fantasy or ideal world around her serene image. His intensity grows for the girl, and finally one day they meet. The girl mentions to him the oriental fair called Araby, where she wants to go but cannot go because she has to attain her retreat fest. The boy's interest develops in Araby as it is the place she talked about. So his intensity shifts toward Araby and he decided to go there (www.enotes.com). The boy conceptualizes that place full of innocence and purity like a fantasy world. Then the story tells about his delayed visit due to different troubles, but finally when he managed to go there, he finds that place as a drab market or just a bazaar where different artificial things are available for sale. The boy disappointed badly by the reality of that place; no charm, no fantasy land. Further the scene of a women and men made him realize the fact of harsh truths and destroyed his vision of pure and innocent women. The story ends with the important moment when the boy is pictured standing alone in the dark silent place and realizes his false fantasy and stupidity, and gets anguished and frustrated. This moment was disturbing yet learning for him, an experience that will make a man out of a boy (www.enotes.com).

This story deals with the desire of escape and adventure, the title “Araby” itself suggest the word 'escape'. As the boy went to bazaar he sees that the place that represents reality of the adult world, which he finds difficult and charmless. Through this the writer, James Joyce, portrays the ...