“Araby” by James Joyce is the reflection of a boy when he was younger, he was infatuated with the girl that lived across the street, Mangan’s sister. His expectation was set high until reality kicked in. This young boy grew up in an environment where he wasn’t being paid enough attention in my opinion. His uncle was a drunk and he was filled with loneliness. His loneliness led him to be in lust with Mangan’s sister. The narrator describes his obsession with her, how “the girls name was like a summons to all his foolish blood and how his body was like a harp and her words and gestures are like fingers running upon wires.” With this obsession he started to believe he was in love and wanted her more and more. One day he went to her home, and she asked if he was going to attend the bazaar, named Araby. She expressed to him how much she wanted to go but couldn’t because she must attend an event for her covent. Upon him going to her doorstep his intentions were never to ask about the bazaar because he didn’t even know it existed or what it was. He only decided to go because she shared how much she really wanted to go, so he decided this was a way to get her. He told Mangan’s sister that he will go and bring her back a gift from it. His obsession with her became an obsession with getting her a gift, especially getting it from the bazaar. At this point his obsession made him forget about his schoolwork and he couldn’t wait to go to the bazaar to get her a gift. His uncle was supposed to give him money for the gift but on the day of the bazaar, his uncle forgot and came home late from work. This made him leave late for the bazaar and by the time he arrived the bazar, nearly all the stalls were closed and there was darkness. He became disappointed and was unable to buy anything from the bazaar. As the lights turned off, he gazed into the darkness with anger. He created this illusion of being in love in his mind that led him to a reality of disappointment. I believe that his loneliness helped him find love at first sight that made him feel a sense of happiness for a moment. Only in the end is he able to realize his disillusion and he comes to know what he has done and what he shouldn’t have done like becoming obsessive at the idea of being in love without knowing anything about love and not having money. This is a sign of growth and maturity.
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