“Araby” by James Joyce is about a young boy who we do not know the age of, being infatuated by his friends’ sister. He is always on the lookout for her and watches her whenever he is able to. He watches her by the window and thinks of her very highly. I believe that he associates her with a bright light whenever seeing her. She eventually talks to him and the bazaar came up. She really wanted to go but could not because of a retreat she has to attend. He says that he will go and buy her something. Now, he feels like it is his mission to go to this beautiful bazzar and get her something. The night of, his uncle had forgotten to give him money because he was drunk but he ended up getting it and going. On his way there, he was disappointed about it being closed and dark. He was not welcomed by one of the sellers there that were still open.
He was shattered because it was like the light for the girl had also gone to dark. He does not see her as highly now because of this place. I believe that this story is to show to not think highly of someone or something because something not so good may occur. It is like an expectation versus reality situation.
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Hello, Araceli. I agree with your response, and I’d like to add that the story is about Love, Allusion, and Reality as well. The boy was so smitten with Magan’s sister that he would go to any length to impress her. Finally, the boy recognized that his vision of the girl was incorrect, and he began to doubt his love for her. He made parallels to Mangan’s sister by referring to her as “chalice,” implying that he saw her as a sacred divinity. In the end, rather than denying reality, he began to view things for what they actually are.