Araby By James Joyce - Essay Example

Analysis Of The Story, ‘Araby’ By James Joyce The story Araby by James Joyce tells the story of the narrator who describes the everyday life in Dublin as being monotonous and frustrating. The community in which he lives in is secluded and limited. The only bright thing for him is the infatuation that he feels for his friend’s sister. Each of his days begins with him peeping out to see her. The narrator wishes to buy a present for his friend’s sister from the Araby bazaar, which comes to be central to the story. The narrator’s house portrays a sense of a lost past as the previous occupant of the house who was a priest died in the house leaving several books. The narrator can be seen to be experiencing frustration from growing up in an environment that is hindering. While at the initial reading, the story talks about the boy and his first love, a deeper look at the story reveals that the story is actually about the world in which the boy lives. This world leads to disappointment and the crushing of one’s dreams and ideals. This disappointment is seen in several ways and is especially seen in his disappointing visit to the Araby bazaar. The narrator hopes to buy a gift from the Araby bazaar. The Araby bazaar is significant in this story as it presents an opportunity for the narrator to escape from the restricting environment of his neighborhood. In his attempt to go buy a present for the girl that he is infatuated with, he almost does not make it as his uncle comes home late after work because of his drunkenness. The narrator’s excitement at going to the bazaar is based on the stories that he has heard about the place, and on the imagination that he will find the perfect present for the girl. However, he arrives late and is not able to find the perfect present causing him the great disappointment. The bazaar also disappoints him as it is not what he had expected it would be. When he had expected that it would have some sense of ‘eastern enchantment’ (4), he finds it to be a dirty and disappointing place of make-believe. The story has disappointment as one of its main themes. In the story, the narrator’s desire only causes him to experience disappointment. The narrator is disappointed that the girl does not seem to notice him or take an interest in him. When he goes to purchase a present for her, he arrives at the bazaar when it is closing. The bazaar is also not what he had expected and he is disappointed at the state in which it is in. The young lady who is supposed to attend to him is barely interested in him and is more interested in the ‘two young gentlemen’ (7) who are flirting with her. The Araby bazaar is the symbolic temple that represents love turns out to be a dirty and profane place. The bazaar is empty and dark, contrary to the expectations that the narrator had. He comes to realize that the Araby bazaar operates and thrives on the profit motive that drives any other marketplace. The Araby bazaar is also an important symbol in the story as it is a contrast to the many references to the church that appear in the story. The church is a vital force in the lives of the people in the neighborhood and most of them follow the rules of the church. The impact that the church has had on the people is also seen in the story. The Araby bazaar presents an alternative to the church where those who visit the bazaar are not bound to follow a strict set of rules. The Araby should be a place of enchantment, a place where there is a renewal of hopes and dreams. It turns out to be the place where one comes to the harsh realities of life and the enchantment of youthful dreams is broken as seen in the realizations that the narrator comes to while at the bazaar. He begins to see himself as ‘a creature driven and derided by vanity…’ (8) This is the realization that changes his life and his attitude. Instead of finding the eastern enchantment that was expected from the bazaar, all he finds are flimsy stores in which merchants who have an aloof attitude sell the flimsy wares. The fact that he arrives at the bazaar just when it is closing and most of it is in darkness shows that his expectations will continue to fail. The failure by the narrator to achieve or fulfill his mission at the bazaar can indicate that for people who live in Dublin, the achievement of their goals and desires will remain out of reach. The relationships in the story are such that while they are founded on good intentions, the people are sometimes blind and insensitive to the needs of others. An example of such is the narrator’s uncle’s failure to get home in time to take the boy to the Araby bazaar. This is despite the fact that he had enough time to pass by the local bar. The uncle seems indifferent to the narrator’s need to go to the bazaar and arrives when it is too late. The aunt with whom he lives with is a decent woman who follows and obeys the rules of the church. She is, however, blind to the burning needs and desires of the boy and is therefore unable to help him accomplish his mission of getting a present from the bazaar. The relationship between the narrator and his object of infatuation is also explored. The narrator is so infatuated with the girl that he is unable to think of anything else. In his mind, the girl is surrounded by light and gives light to his dark existence. His infatuation for the girl causes him to lose interest in everything else, and he cannot focus on anything apart from the girl. He feels that if he can get the girl, then everything in his life will make sense. The girl is however unaware of his feelings and does not notice him. During the only conversation, that she engages him in, she expresses her desire to go to the Araby bazaar. This causes him to develop an obsession with going to the bazaar to get her a present in the hope that it will help him gain favor with her. It is while at the Araby bazaar that he realizes that his love for the girl was all in his mind and that she will never reciprocate. This leaves him with a deep sense of disappointment. The people in the story seem to have a very religious nature. Most of the people in the story follow the rules stipulated by the religion that they follow. The relationship between the people in the story is founded on the religious principles and practices that they follow. They are, however, still seen to engage in immoral behavior. There is an allusion to the fact that the priest may have behaved in a way that can be said to be immoral. The people in the society follow rules just because they are forced by circumstances, not because they are willing to follow them. The story shows the ideals that are held because of youth. As a young person, the narrator believes that the ideals and dreams that he has can come true. He is forced to come to the realization that is not possible, and he is forced to accept the reality of his situation, and the reality of his environment. This will possibly force him to become bitter and disillusioned. At the end of the story, the narrator experiences a different kind of disappointment that causes him to change. The ideals that he earlier held about love and about life have been destroyed. He is transformed from a young idealist who is living in a society that he despises to a realist whose most cherished ideals have been proved false. To him, Dublin then becomes a restrictive place in which noble ideals are not allowed to thrive. He has come to realize that the love that he had for the girl only existed in his mind and the dreams he had of her can never be realized and that the ideal and romantic love that he has for her is only superficial. It is at the end of the story that he has come to realize the unattainability of his dreams. He also realizes the superficiality of the Araby bazaar, which in his mind was an enchanting place. He also begins to feel a sense of alienation towards religion and towards those around him. Works cited James Joyce. Araby. Associated Educational Services Corporation, 1967. Print. Read More