Araby by James Joyce
Hello! I am Reshma Bilakhiya and now I am pursuing my MA's Degree in Sem 4 .This is my blog of BA's Syllabus in which I will discuss about the Short Story of James Joyce of 'Araby'.
James Joyce Biography
James Joyce was born into a middle-class, Catholic family in Rathgar, a suburb of Dublin, on February 2, 1882. The family’s prosperity dwindled soon after Joyce's Birth, forcing them to move from their comfortable home to the unfashionable and impoverished area of North Dublin. Nonetheless, Joyce attended a prestigious Jesuit school and went on to study philosophy and languages at University College, Dublin. He moved to Paris after graduation in 1902 for medical school, but instead he turned his attention to writing. In 1903 he returned to Dublin, where he met his future wife, Nora Barnacle, the following year. From then on, Joyce made his home in other countries. From 1905 to 1915, he and Nora lived in Rome and Trieste, Italy, and, from 1915 to 1919, they lived in Zurich, Switzerland. Between World War I and World War II, they lived in Paris. The couple returned to Zurich in 1940, where Joyce died in 1941.
Summary of "Araby" by James Joyce
The narrator lives on North Richmond Street, a quiet and somber neighborhood, with his aunt and uncle. His life is largely monotonous, shaped by school, playing in the streets, and the oppressive atmosphere of his home. However, he finds excitement in his infatuation with Mangan’s sister, a girl he barely knows but idealizes as a symbol of beauty and mystery. He secretly watches her from a distance, dreaming of her constantly. His crush on her becomes an obsession, offering him an escape from the dreary world around him.
One day, Mangan’s sister speaks to him, and their brief conversation fills him with exhilaration. She mentions the Araby bazaar, an exotic-sounding marketplace, and expresses regret that she cannot go. In an attempt to impress her, the narrator promises that he will visit Araby and bring her back a gift. From that moment on, his thoughts become consumed by the bazaar, which he envisions as a magical and otherworldly place, far removed from the dull streets of Dublin. His schoolwork suffers as he fantasizes about the adventure ahead.
When the day of the bazaar arrives, the narrator is eager to set out, but his uncle, who was supposed to give him money for the trip, arrives home late and somewhat drunk, having forgotten about his promise. This delay means that the boy reaches Araby only when it is near closing time. The grand, mystical place he had imagined turns out to be a dull and uninspiring commercial event, lit dimly and mostly empty. He overhears a casual and unremarkable conversation between a young shop girl and two men, which further shatters his expectations. He realizes that the bazaar is just another mundane marketplace, not the romantic and enchanting escape he had hoped for.
As he stands in the near-empty bazaar, the narrator experiences a crushing epiphany. He recognizes the futility of his quest and understands that his grand dreams were based on childish illusions. The realization fills him with shame, anger, and deep disappointment. He sees himself as foolish for believing that Araby or his affection for Mangan’s sister could provide meaning or fulfillment. The story ends with the boy standing in the darkness, his youthful idealism replaced by the painful awareness of reality, marking his first step toward adulthood and the loss of innocence.
Conclusion
James Joyce’s Araby is a deeply introspective story that explores themes of coming of age, religious influence, escapism, and disillusionment. Through the narrator’s infatuation with Mangan’s sister and his ultimate disappointment at the Araby market, Joyce illustrates the inevitable clash between youthful idealism and the harsh realities of the world. The story’s conclusion, where the narrator experiences an epiphany of self-awareness, highlights the pain of growing up where one realizes that dreams often fall short of reality. His religious upbringing, romanticized notions of love, and belief in an exotic escape all dissolve into anguish and self-reproach. This moment of disillusionment serves as a powerful commentary on the loss of innocence and the difficulty of reconciling fantasy with reality. Ultimately, Araby is not just about a boy’s failed quest for a token of affection, but rather a universal reflection on the disappointment that often accompanies maturity and self-discovery.
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