Araby by James Joyce

Araby by James Joyce

Summary

The story “Araby” conveys the idea that the personal feelings of a person and the real world are two different things. First, we do not understand this difference but when we come to understand that, we are disillusioned. Then we are sad.

The narrator of the story is a schoolboy and lives with his uncle. He plays with his companions in the street until dusk and then they return their homes.

Mangan is his playmate. He falls in love with his sister. However, he cannot express his love to her. He keeps looking at her from a distance. He keeps on thinking about her all the time. Her image is always before his eyes. He is very intense in his love. Tears fill his eyes but he does not know why.

Once she talks to him and asks him to go to Araby. Araby is a bazaar. He promises that he will bring something for her if he goes there. Now going to Araby becomes his business. He takes permission to go. He waits for the appointed day impatiently. Now everything appears to him unimportant and a child’s play.

On the appointed day, he leaves for Araby very late with a very little money. He goes to a shop, looks at things. However, he cannot buy anything because of his little money.  He repents on his promise and his eyes burn with anger and anguish. (235)

1. With reference to “Araby”, discuss the intensity of the schoolboy’s love.

Describe narrator’s attitude towards Mangan’s sister.

The schoolboy is a passionate lover. Discuss.

James Joyce shows the effect of love on its victims.

The writer has described the intensity of the schoolboy’s love at various places in the story. From his description, the schoolboy appears to be a passionate lover. We also come to know the effect of love on its victims.

The schoolboy is a teenager. He loves Mangan’s sister very passionately, but he cannot express it. Therefore, he looks at her from a distance without saying anything. He wants to be around her. At school time as soon as she comes out of her house, he takes his books, rushes out and follows her without letting her know. The narrator says, “I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” He keeps on thinking about her even in the classroom. Her image comes between him and the pages he tries to read.

He keeps on thinking about her even in the market. He is so intense in his love that he cannot understand his prayers and praises for her. He cannot understand why his eyes are full of tears. He says about his condition: “But my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running upon the wires.”

Sometimes he wants to get rid of his senses too. He usually murmurs “O love! O love!” Sometimes form the window of his house he looks at her house. He had become so much intense in his love that now her image is always before his eyes.

Therefore, we see the intensity of the schoolboy’s lover. His love had become his whole business. This is the effect of love on its victims. (280)

2. What were feelings of Mangan’s sister for the narrator and what did she talk to him?

The narrator used to watch Mangan’s sister from a distance. She used to come at the doorstep of her house to call Mangan to his idea. He watched her in fascination. Slowly he started liking her. On the other hand, she was unaware of his liking. She did not pay any special attention to him.

No doubt, she talked to him once but she did not talk about anything except Araby. Her talking proves tht she was completely unaware. The narrator of the story was confused when she talked to him. He did not know what to answer. However, she was quite normal. She asked him if he was going to Araby. She further told him that Araby would be s splendid bazaar and she would like to go there. The narrator asked her why she could not go to Araby. She answered that she could not go to Araby because there would be a retreat that week in her convent.

When she was talking, the narrator was looking at her in fascination. He was looking at her neck, hand, and dress that were lighted by the light. She said that if he went to Araby, it would be good for him. She meant to say that he would enjoy there. The narrator promised her that if he went there he would bring something for her. After that, their talk ended and they departed. (234)

3. Write a note on the mental condition of the schoolboy after his talk with Mangan’s sister.

Why were the schoolboy’s teachers annoyed with the schoolboy?

After his talk with Mangan’s sister, he started thinking about Araby all the time. He thought about that not only during daytime but also in his dreams. He was so impatient that he could not wait. He wanted to go to Araby at once.

He was to go on the next Saturday and a few days were left. He wanted to destroy these few days to go to Araby. He lost interest in everything else. Now he was annoyed with his schoolwork. Even in the classroom, he thought about her. Her image came between him and the pages he tried to read. He answered a few questions in the classroom. Before that, his teacher used to like him. Now he was very strict with him and thought that he was becoming idle.

He remained so absorbed in his thoughts that he could not concentrate on his studies. He had no patience for his work because he could not go to Araby because of this work. Now his class work seemed to him child’s play.

When he was, alone he recalled the syllable of the world Araby. As Araby was an eastern word, he thought he was under eastern enchantment. He asked for leave to go to Araby on Saturday. (209)

4. How did the schoolboy behave on Saturday when he was to go to Araby? Describe his feelings.

The writer has described the feelings of the narrator soon before leaving for Araby very beautifully.

On Saturday, he was very restless and impatient. He wanted to go at once. Nevertheless, he had to wait the whole day. He had to go to school and he had to wait for his uncle’s return. Before leaving for school, he reminded his uncle that he wished to go to Araby that day. He was not in a good mood when he left. His uncle did not return until dinnertime. He wanted money from him. Therefore, he had to wait.

First, he sat staring at the clock. When its ticking began to irritate him, he left the room. He went upstairs. He was feeling cold and gloomy. He went from one room to another singing. From the front window, he saw his companions playing. He looked at the dark house of the girl. He started imagining that the girl was standing and before him. He saw light touching her neck, her hand, and her dress. He stood there for an hour.

Then he came down. He saw Mrs. Mercer sitting at the fire. She had come to see his uncle. He was so impatient that he did not want to talk to her.

When she left, he started walking up and down the room. At nine O’clock, his uncle returned home. At the dinner table, he asked for money. His uncle said in a funny way that people were in their beds and after their first sleep. However, the boy did not enjoy the joke and did not smile. His aunt asked his uncle to give him the money and let him go. His uncle gave him one florin and started reading a poem, but he did not listen to it and started for Araby. (302)

5. Describe the schoolboy’s departure, feelings and visit to Araby in your own simple English.

The narrator’s visit to Araby proved useless because he could not buy anything for the girl. Therefore, he was very disappointed and angry and his eyes burned with anguish.

He got one florin from his uncle and went to the station. He was in a state of absent-mindedness. He got a seat in a third class carriage. The train was deserted because there were no passengers. He wanted to reach Araby very soon but the train left very late. It was a special train for Araby so the porters did not let the crowd of people gets into the train. He remained alone in the carriage.

When he reached Araby it was ten minutes to ten. Therefore, he was too late. He entered the bazaar by handling a shilling to a weary looking man. Most of the shops and stalls were close. The boy went to an open stall and looked at vases and tea sets. Three shop assistants were arguing. A young lady came over to him and asked what he wanted to buy. Perhaps he had read the prices written on the vases. He had come to know that he did not have enough money, so he told her that he did not want to buy anything. He was very much disappointed now. He stayed at the stall for some time and then turned away.

Now the upper part of the hall was completely dark. He touched the little money in his pocket. He had realized his foolishness. He should not have promised the girl to bring something for her. Therefore, his eyes burnt with anger and anguish. (270)

6. The schoolboy of the story “Araby” is the representative of the adolescence. Discuss.

The schoolboy is the representative of his class. Discuss.

No doubt, the schoolboy of the story “Araby” represents the adolescence. It is an age when boys are not mature. They are inexperienced and sentimental. They do not know anything about the bitter realities of life. To them their subjective world is everything. They want such things as are out of their reach. However, they do not come to know their real position until they are face-to-face wit bitter realities.

We see that the boy or the protagonist is just like that. He is immature and inexperienced and only a schoolboy. He is sentimental too. He falls in love, but does not know how to express it. He looks at his beloved in fascination from a distance. He keeps on thinking about her not only at night but also during the daytime. He remembers her when he is in his classroom and even when he goes to market with his aunt. Her image always remains before his eyes. His eyes are full of tears and he does not know why he is weeping. Now the serious work of life seems to him child’s play.

He does not know anything about the bitter realities of life. He promises to the girl that he would bring something for her. He forgets that he depends on his uncle and he does not have any money with him. He does not realize that until he stands at the shop and perhaps sees the high prices of things written on them. Now he is face to face with the bitter realities of life. He comes to know that he has very little money and with that money, he cannot buy anything for the girl. (279)

7. How does the schoolboy come to know that he is wrong and he should not have promised to bring something for the girl?

Why is the protagonist angry at the end of the story and why do his eyes burn with anguish?

“Araby” describes a conflict between the subjective feeling of the protagonist and the objective world.

What is the disillusionment of the schoolboy or the protagonist?

Discuss the narrator’s mental condition and the gap between his hopes and their fulfillment.

Conflict is a state of disagreement between opposing ideas. When we read the story “Araby” carefully, we find that two opposing ideas have been presented. The first idea is schoolboy’s subjective feelings and the second idea is his objective or real world. There is a conflict between the personal feelings of a person and the real world.

The boy falls in love with his friend’s sister. To him his subjective feeling of love is the only reality. All the other things have no importance for him. To him the serious work of live is a child’s play. He keeps on thinking about her all the time. Even when he goes to market, he thinks about her.

In the classroom, he cannot pay attention to his studies. Nothing is important for him now. He usually weeps without knowing why he is weeping. He promises to buy a gift for the girl. These are the subjective feelings of the boy. This is his illusion. His objective world is that he is just a schoolboy. Perhaps he is an orphan too. His uncle is his patron. He should not have promised the girls to bring something for her. He cannot buy anything for her because he himself is dependent on his uncle.

Therefore, we see that there is a big disagreement between his subjective feelings and objective world.

It is only at the end of the story that he comes to know what he is and what he should not have done. He is disillusioned. With his little money, he cannot buy anything for her. It was his vanity when he promised to bring something for her. It is the sense of reality that makes his eyes burn with anguish and anger. (289)

8. What is the theme of the story “Araby”?

The theme of the story “Araby” is that the subjective feelings of a person and the objective world are two opposing things. There is no agreement between them. First, we do not understand this disagreement, but later we come to understand that, and we are disillusioned. Then we are sad and dejected.

When we read the story carefully, we see the subjective feelings of a schoolboy. He is in love with his fried’s sister. To him his subjective feeling of love is the only reality. All other things have no importance for him. To him the serious work of life is child’s play. He keeps on thinking about her all the time. Even when he goes to market, he thinks about her. In the classroom, he cannot pay attention to his studies. Nothing is important for him now. He usually weeps without knowing why he is weeping. These are the subjective feelings of the boy. This is his illusion.

His objective world is that he is just schoolboy. Perhaps he is an orphan too. His uncle is his patron. He should not have promised the girls that he would bring something or her. He cannot bring anything for her, because he is himself dependent on his uncle.

We see that is a great disagreement between his subjective feelings and the objective world. First, he does not understand this disagreement, but later he comes to understand that and he is disillusioned. Then he is sad and dejected.

It happens to all of us. Sometimes we wish for such things as are out of our reach. We keep on thinking about them, but at the end, we are disillusioned. (277)

9. What are symbolic meanings of the deserted train and dark bazaar in the story “Araby”?

The deserted train and the dark bazaar have great symbolic meanings in the story “Araby”.

The deserted train is one of the means that can take him to his most serious place ‘Araby’. It also symbolizes gloom and a kind of disappointment that the schoolboy is going to face.

Writers always set the situation for the end of the story. The setting of story always foretells the end of the story. If the end is pleasant, the writer always talks about light, day, and good things. If the end is tragic, the writer always talks about night, darkness, cold, gloom, death and other bad things. Therefore, the desertedness of the train, its delay, and slowness all symbolize the tragic end and the disappointment that the boy is going to face.

The dark bazaar symbolizes the narrator’s ignorance. He promises to the girl that he will bring something for her from “Araby”. He does not know that he cannot buy a gift for the girl with his little money. Therefore, the darkness of the bazaar shows his ignorance. The darkness of bazaar also symbolizes the bitter realities of life. It is a reality that he is immature and inexperienced and does not know anything about the power of money. Therefore, by looking into the darkness, he realizes his foolishness. This darkness also symbolizes that we cannot fulfill all wishes. Various things that are out of our reach and we cannot get them.

Therefore, we see that the deserted train and the dark bazaar are highly symbolic. (255)