- In the beginning of the short story Araby, I would describe the young boy as being very affectionate and sensitive. Due to the fact the boy has a huge crush on Mangan’s sister he is very descriptive of her as well as how he watches her from a distance and infatuates about her. He shows signs of desperation as he sits and thinks about her daily and even begins to fantasize about her and he begins to think about having a future with her. He changes by the end of the story because he starts to feel rejected and discouraged due to the fact he wasn’t able to attend the Bazaar as planned and was unable to purchase a gift for her due to the fact he arrived late and doesn’t have enough money. He becomes disappointed which makes him realize that he was going over board with his feelings for Mangan’s sister.
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3 thoughts on “Dasia Alexander Discussion 5”
Dasia, I agree that the boy in the story is highly sensitive. But I must comments—as I always do when exploring this story—that this has nothing to do with love. It would not matter whether he got a gift for the girl or not; she is an older, unattainable person whom the boy does not even know. The reason I ask students to analyze the boy’s character is so that they come to an understanding of the story’s meaning. What other traits do you see in this protagonist? How do these traits lead to the huge realization at the end of the story?
I view the boy as someone that is trying to make sense of his deep feelings. He is someone that goes into great detail, even when describing his surroundings. He focuses on his friends sister intensely. He is not at the point where he can effectively communicate his feelings to her. There is a bit of wonder and unknown in his language. He didn’t know what to expect. He takes the conversation with the girl as a task he must complete. Unfortunately it doesn’t work out for him. I believe the failed attempt at alot about who he is, atleast he listened to his feelings enough to try. The try and the fail is the best teacher in the lesson of life.
Hi Dasia, I totally agree with your description of the young boy in “Araby” . His affectionate and sensitive nature is evident from the beginning of the story, and his infatuation with Mangan’s sister is what drives the story forward. The way he describes her and obsesses over her shows just how deeply he feels for her. However, his disappointment and realization that his feelings may have been misguided at the end of the story marks his coming of age and his transition into a more mature understanding of love and life.