Araby By James Joyce Essay

Araby by James Joyce is a remarkable short story published in the author’s 1914 collection, Dubliners. This work is an astounding piece of literature that illustrates the story of a young boy’s childish obsession. The narrative is about a young boy living in Ireland with his uncle and aunt, who is infatuated with a girl living across the street, his friend Mangan’s sister. The young boy follows Mangan’s sister and “lay[s] on the floor in the front parlour watching her door” (Joyce). One evening, the young girl comes up to the boy addresses him by asking whether he is visiting the Araby, a bazaar. Although the girl is not able to attend the Araby, the boy offers to buy her something, as he desires to impress her. However, he arrives late to the
After reaching the exotic bazaar, the young boy experiences an epiphany that allows him to realize his obsession and transition from an innocent impractical boy to an adult dealing with the cruel realities of his life.

Author James Joyce uses multiple elements to effectively communicate his story to the target audience. Joyce’s exceptional depiction of setting, character, and perspective and use of various literary devices assist with the powerful delivery of the context. To analyze, Joyce’s form of writing creates an outstanding and enthralling piece of work. The young boy lives in the house of a deceased priest on a street that is a dead end. The author’s use of foreshadowing in the quote, “North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street” (Joyce), represents the boy’s blind obsession towards Mangan’s sister in the future. The young boy falls in love with