Araby, By James Joyce

Human adolescence is a journey that is often fraught with trials to be overcome, failures and successes to be achieved, and new experiences to be had. Such tribulation serves to teach people valuable lessons concerning life and the ways of the world as we are whisked along the chaotic river of our teenage years, thrust ever closer to the impending deluge of responsibility and uncertainty known as adulthood. One aspect of the human experience which many explore for the first time during this stage is that of love; or, rather, what our inexperienced and underdeveloped minds perceive as love. Many people can recall with an atmosphere of bittersweet nostalgia and perhaps even longing, the first crush they ever had. Often, such romantic interests
The narrator, reliving his memories with the insight of maturity, alludes to the sheer power of his infatuation with his friend’s sister, asserting that, “Her name sprang to my lips at moments in strange prayers and praises which I myself did not understand. My eyes were often full of tears (I could not tell why) and at times a flood from my heart seemed to pour itself out onto my bosom.” Such powerful language communicates the sentiment that the narrator was borderline obsessed with Mangan’s sister, allowing her to permeate throughout his very existence, invading his thoughts and dictating his actions. An inexperienced young boy, he is vulnerable to the overwhelming strength of his love for Mangan’s sister.
A central theme in “Araby” is the longing for adventure and exciting new experiences that is associated with adolescence; the place where the boy lives is described as a “quiet street”, with drab houses that “gazed at one another with brown imperturbable faces.” Mangan’s sister offers an escape from the relentless monotony of his surroundings, both in her affection and with the allure of the bazaar, a portal to exotic lands and cultures the boy could only dream of experiencing. Love is a new and intriguing notion to him, enabling his liberation from the “musty” air and “dark muddy lanes” he is familiar
Much like the main character in “Araby,” Nickles is shy and perhaps introverted; he is too intimidated by Veronica to speak with her, and describes his enjoyment at “The loneliness of interstellar space,”. He appreciates solitude and mostly prefers to keep to himself. Nickles’ shyness is perhaps accompanied and amplified by a degree of cowardice, as he is unable to conquer his fear of rejection when finally encountering Veronica face-to-face. “’You wanted to see me?’ she asked. He only managed to say: ‘I can’t. I’m sorry.’ Then he was running.” Nickles crumbles in the face of harsh adversity, thus displaying his fear of the consequences stemming from his actions. Additionally, Nickles is envious of his friend Robert, who seems to enjoy more romantic success than he does and exhibits a constantly care-free attitude. This jealousy, kept underneath wraps for so long, eventually is unleashed when Nickles lashes out at Robert’s seeming mockery of his tragic situation: “The sound of his friend’s amused voice enraged Nickles and he was up after him, meaning to kill him.” His jealousy also extends to Veronica’s boyfriend, Jack Carboneau, whom he “no longer spoke to” and “had forbidden Robert to have anything to do with”. This jealousy culminates into spite, an emotion which he feels strongly for