Comparing Araby And Hills Like White Elephants

Coming of Age through Investigation of Sexual Identity

Depicting the search for a long awaited sense of adulthood, “Araby” by James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” reveal young individual’s sense of innocence, despite the apparent presence of the mature and sophisticated emotion of love. “Araby” describes the trials of a young boy, infatuated with a woman, who quickly realizes the harsh realities of the world. Similarly, the girl in “Hills Like White Elephants” is faced with a difficult decision, due to her sexual maturity, or lack there of. The two pieces, although drastically different in plot, inhabit similar themes, eventually leading to a deeper understanding of the main character. Setting the scene for the reader, the vocabulary within “Araby” invokes an immediate feeling of loneliness. Throughout the short story, Joyce’s word choice enlightens the reader as to the emotions and state of maturity within the boy. The young boy uses diction such as “detached” “uninhabited” and “blind” to describe North Richmond Street, despite the obvious happiness of other children on the street. Although he interacts with other children his age, the boy has a longing and curiosity to explore the actions and emotions
Despite having done this, the young girl in the short story shares the same level of immaturity as the boy. The story begins by vividly describing the setting. Taking place at a train stop in Barcelona, the story’s symbolism is almost entirely based on the scene, rather than in characters or objects. The girl notices the railroad tracks, which symbolize the relationship between her and the “American boy.” The tracks run parallel forever, never coming together. The two are discussing an extremely controversial topic, of which they obviously have differing