The short story, “Araby” by James Joyce illustrates a young boys’ unfortunate experience with first love. Throughout “Araby”, Joyce uses many terms which invoke sexual and religious connotations in order to portray the setting and illustrate the boy’s sexual affection for the girl. In addition, religion is a large part of the boy’s way of life but as sexual needs come into play, the boy realizes that his religious form of affection is much different from the normal way of life. Thus, showing him that love in the religious environment and love in the truth of reality do not counterpart. As any young boy, sexual affections would pop in his head daily, but the boy connects religious meaning with his everyday surroundings. The boy’s affection
…show more content…
This quote illustrates the boys experience with the exposure to the sinful ways of humanity. As the story continues, Joyce beings implementing sexual connotations throughout his words to further express the boy’s sexual feelings towards the girl. The boy later illustrates himself in a dark and quiet room, quote, “I went into the back drawing-room in which the priest had died...It was a dark rainy evening...” (87). In this quote, Joyce’s choice of wording can easily be interpreted as sinful and sexual thinking, especially since the boy is in a room where a priest had passed and the rainy setting which creates sexual ideas in young boy’s minds’. Although the boy is trying to control his sexual affections, he says, “Through one of the broken panes...the fine incessant needles of water playing in the sodden beds” (87). In this quote, the boy illustrates himself having sex with the girl on a bed and the “broken panes” are symbolizing the girls virginity; while “the fine incessant needles” represents male genitals. Later on, the boy says, “I pressed the palms of my hands together until they trembled…” (87). This illustration can be interpreted as heavy prayer, but Joyce uses phallic imagery to illustrate the young boy touching himself.
This quote illustrates the boys experience with the exposure to the sinful ways of humanity. As the story continues, Joyce beings implementing sexual connotations throughout his words to further express the boy’s sexual feelings towards the girl. The boy later illustrates himself in a dark and quiet room, quote, “I went into the back drawing-room in which the priest had died...It was a dark rainy evening...” (87). In this quote, Joyce’s choice of wording can easily be interpreted as sinful and sexual thinking, especially since the boy is in a room where a priest had passed and the rainy setting which creates sexual ideas in young boy’s minds’. Although the boy is trying to control his sexual affections, he says, “Through one of the broken panes...the fine incessant needles of water playing in the sodden beds” (87). In this quote, the boy illustrates himself having sex with the girl on a bed and the “broken panes” are symbolizing the girls virginity; while “the fine incessant needles” represents male genitals. Later on, the boy says, “I pressed the palms of my hands together until they trembled…” (87). This illustration can be interpreted as heavy prayer, but Joyce uses phallic imagery to illustrate the young boy touching himself.