Araby Literary Analysis

In Araby by James Joyce, the narrator looks back on this time in his life and realizes the significance of young love. While he is infatuated with his friend Mangan’s sister, the narrator does not fully think through his journey to the bazaar. The narrator knows that Mangan’s sister is unaware of his feelings for her, but still allows her beauty and his feelings to cloud his judgement, ultimately leading to an epiphany in which the narrator learns more about himself and his intentions. It is clear that the narrator is passionate about Mangan’s sister. He watches her from a distance and is constantly thinking about her, waiting for her to appear. The narrator does not want Mangan’s sister to see him because he is fearful of rejection, but when she does emerge and they are going to school, he cannot avoid her. He says “I kept her brown figure always in my eye and, when we came near the point at which our ways diverged, I quickened my pace and passed her” (365). The narrator acts as if he is not worthy to be in her presence. To him, she is shrouded in mystery. “I had never
He sets her on a pedestal as if she is more angelic than human. The narrator often associates her with light or shadows. The first instance of this is on page 365 when she comes out to call her brother in for tea. It says “She was waiting for us, her figure defined by the light from the half opened door.” This association with light starts to suggest that Mangan’s sister is not only supposed to be a character, but also a representation of the narrator’s romantic interest and dreams. Mangan’s sister is again associated with life when she talks to the narrator on page 366 to ask him if he is going to the bazaar. “The light from the lamp opposite our door caught the white curve of her neck, lit up her hair that rested there and, falling, lit up the hand upon the railing” (366). Joyce uses the light to enhance her presence, beauty, and