The young protagonist in Joyce’s “Araby” describes the setting that he first encounters in relation to paralysis and figurative blindness by explaining how dead everything around him appeared to be. This reflects the boy’s mental, spiritual, and emotional states. He instantly becomes blinded by the visions in his head concerning Mangan’s sister, the relationship that he longed to have with her, and his mental connection between her and religion. The narrator sees this girl as the manifestation of the Virgin Mary, and the thoughts of their relationship as holy. Unable to separate worldly objects and events from the religious aspects that fill his head, the young boy is blinded figuratively and numbly unsensitized.
The best example of paralysis …show more content…
Through his experience of love, the narrator from “Araby” is moved from his youth to happiness to loneliness that causes his frustration as he surveys the area between adolescence and adulthood. He finds himself struggling with the conflict between everyday life and the promise of finding love. Gabriel embodies this same trait of experiencing frustrated love, as well as the alienation that the narrator of “Araby” feels. Ironically, neither of the two characters were alone, as Gabriel was at his aunt’s crowded party, and the boy from “Araby” was at a bazaar. Though the main characters from “Araby” and “The Dead” identify closely with each other in many ways, they are also different in some aspects. The narrator of “Araby” yearns to see himself as an adult, so he leaves behind what typical children do and dramatically expresses his emotions through romantic gestures in his infatuation with Mangan’s sister. However, he finds himself trapped in childhood due to his inability to pursue his desires. On the other hand, Gabriel in “The Dead” is not viewed as a child, but acts like one in certain ways. Though he is a highly educated intellectual, he does not know how to behave as an adult would within society. Another difference between the two would be that Gabriel is short tempered, socially impaired, and possesses acute class consciousness. While he possesses these undesirable qualities, the young narrator of “Araby” appears to be quite peaceful and socially
The best example of paralysis …show more content…
Through his experience of love, the narrator from “Araby” is moved from his youth to happiness to loneliness that causes his frustration as he surveys the area between adolescence and adulthood. He finds himself struggling with the conflict between everyday life and the promise of finding love. Gabriel embodies this same trait of experiencing frustrated love, as well as the alienation that the narrator of “Araby” feels. Ironically, neither of the two characters were alone, as Gabriel was at his aunt’s crowded party, and the boy from “Araby” was at a bazaar. Though the main characters from “Araby” and “The Dead” identify closely with each other in many ways, they are also different in some aspects. The narrator of “Araby” yearns to see himself as an adult, so he leaves behind what typical children do and dramatically expresses his emotions through romantic gestures in his infatuation with Mangan’s sister. However, he finds himself trapped in childhood due to his inability to pursue his desires. On the other hand, Gabriel in “The Dead” is not viewed as a child, but acts like one in certain ways. Though he is a highly educated intellectual, he does not know how to behave as an adult would within society. Another difference between the two would be that Gabriel is short tempered, socially impaired, and possesses acute class consciousness. While he possesses these undesirable qualities, the young narrator of “Araby” appears to be quite peaceful and socially