Set in Dublin on North Richmond Street James Joyce writes of a dark and depressing place. At first read the story seems to be about one of a boy’s first love, the boy is longing to seek the attention of a girl that he cannot seem to get out of his mind. As with most of the stories we are going to read in this class it is obvious that there is a deeper meaning with this story. Living on this “blind” street it seems the boy is lost and those around him, specifically his uncle and aunt, are to “blind” to see that he needs to find himself.
Even though he tells his uncle and aunt he wants to go to the bazaar his uncle is late to come home because he went probably to a pub. Also, James Joyce refers to light in the story, either when a light is presence or when there is lack of light. It seems as if the boy is trapped in this dead end street and the girl is his light, his hope, his way out and his way of finding spirit and happiness in the world. Everyday he is consumed with thoughts of the girl and even spends time watching her and following her about. He needs something other than the presence of older people to satisfy him.
When he finally gets to the Araby at the end he realizes something, something that I still am confused about. When he got there did he think he was going to find the answer to something, or realize what life is about? He gets there only to be let down realizing that the emptiness he felt inside would keep going and he drops his pennies down into his pocket as he is filled with anger. I think he had his epiphany by comparing the girl at the bazaar to his girl at the school, realizing that what he saw in her was nothing but mere physical attraction and he was amongst people with little spirit or depth.
