Araby Analysis Essay

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James Joyce’s “Araby” is a narrative about a boy who realizes how the world around him differentiates compared to how he wishes to perceive it. The tale is full of lightness and darkness as the author expresses. James describes how the boy is an innocent child, who then falls for a girl, Mangan’s sister; thus turning him into darkness. The boy tells the girl that he will bring her a gift from the bazaar since she cannot attend. However, the boy arrives when Araby is closing so he does not get a chance to get her something; thus, he becomes upset. Additionally, Joyce makes use of various techniques for the reader to apprehend; tone and voice being the two that go hand in hand.
The story consists of light and dark within the boy. As the story
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Initially, the boy is full of light when he is with his friends, but when he decides to go to Araby to bring a girl a gift in return, darkness clouds over him. The boy is alone on the train; the narrator says, “I remained alone in the bare carriage” (Joyce). James emphasizes the darkness that follows him when he leaves to go to the bazaar as he is riding the train alone. Additionally, the light going out at the bazaar portrays the darkness within the boy. The writer says, “I heard a voice call from one end of the gallery that the light was out. The upper part of the hall was now completely dark” (Joyce). The darkness that approaches with the night expresses the corruption within the boy which comes with him being in love with the girl. Therefore, the author’s purpose of “Araby” is to reveal the darkness that follows with loving someone.
“Araby” is a well-written, in-depth short story of a young boy who falls in love with a girl. The author is descriptive about the boy’s life since the reader can create a vivid image in their head. However, the tale can be complex to understand; thus intended for an older audience. The story can be used to express how one can be happy, and then upset shortly after. The author should continue the story so the reader can see what the boy goes through next with the girl instead of leaving the reader to create an

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