First love is a prominent theme explored by writers in their stories, and literary techniques often support authors in conveying their views about first love to readers. “Araby” is a short story that was included in Dubliners, a collection of short stories. The story was written by James Joyce, a famous Irish writer who is considered to be one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. In “Araby,” the narrator tells a story of his first love. In order to impress his friend’s unnamed sister, the boy traveled to Araby, a local bazaar, and promised to bring her a gift. The narrator’s literal quest to Araby reflects the figurative journey of his first love. It is through this parallel that Joyce shows the futility of first love and the inevitability of disappointment resulting from it.
The story is written from the perspective of a grown-up narrator who recollects his experience of falling in love for the first time.
The beginning of the story conveys a sense of innocence and playfulness found in children: “North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers’ School set the boys free” (Joyce 110). From the very first line, the author evokes images of playing children, laughter, and light-heartedness. Although the story is told from the perspective of an adult, the young narrator’s voice is also evident: “I liked the last best because its leaves were yellow” (Joyce 110). This combination of imagery and voice allows the author to paint a vivid picture of a regular person’s childhood.
The theme of love is introduced a little later, and it interrupts the play both literally and figuratively as Mangan’s sister comes out to call his brother to tea and becomes the central figure of the story (Joyce 111). The narrator’s first love is illustrated vividly through his thoughts, actions, and senses, which enables adult readers to recollect their first love. For instance, the narrator explains how her image would not leave his mind for days and how he used to watch her in the streets. These descriptions evoke images of first love in readers’ minds, thus establishing it as the central theme of the story.
Following days of watching Mangan’s sister from afar, the young narrator first comes into contact with her in the church. This encounter marks the beginning of his journey to Araby, which he plans to visit in an effort to impress the girl. The literal journey completed by the boy mirrors a heroic quest. The obstacles he faces range from daily distractions, such as school, to his uncle being late after an evening of drinking. For instance, the boy struggles to concentrate on his studies because of anticipation: “I watched my master’s face pass from amiability to sternness; he hoped I was not beginning to idle” (Joyce 112).
At the same time, the boy’s love for his friend’s sister grows into an infatuation. The growing desire contrasts the images of shyness and innocence often associated with first love and explored in the first half of the short story. For the young narrator, feelings become somewhat obsessive, and thoughts about Mangan’s sister preoccupy his mind and interrupt his regular life. He no longer plays with his friends outside and distances from them: “Their cries reached me weakened and indistinct” (Joyce 113). Instead of spending time with friends, he watches her “brown-clad figure,” cast by his imagination (Joyce 113). Knowing very little about her, he idealizes her image and obsesses with it to the point where the only way his story could end is with disappointment.
The escalation of the young narrator’s desire and the obstacles faced by him throughout his journey foreshadow the unhappy ending of the story. The narrator’s real quest turns out to be futile, and this sense of futility also marks a change of heart. As he arrives at the bazaar, the “Eastern enchantment” washes away (Joyce 112). Instead of elaborate Eastern designs and the atmosphere of an Arabic market, he sees empty stalls, a French cafe, “porcelain vases and flowered tea-sets” (Joyce 114).
His desperate attempts to find a suitable gift end in disappointment as he walks away from one of the last remaining stalls: “I allowed the two pennies to fall against the sixpence in my pocket” (Joyce 115). At this point, he has given up on his search for a present and on his promise. This parallels him giving up on his love. In the final line, the narrator states, “Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger” (Joyce 115).
It becomes evident to the young narrator that the idealized image of his love that he had built in his mind would inevitably disappoint him, just like Araby. He understands the futility and vanity of his feelings and reacts to the loss with fury and grief.
By drawing a parallel between the young narrator’s literal quest to Arabia and his figurative journey of first love, the author conveys his perceptions about young love. To Joyce, first love is full of idealization and lacks awareness that is necessary to build a strong relationship fueled by a deep feeling. As evident from the analysis, the narrator’s first love is driven by desire and builds up in his imagination, and for this reason, it ends up in disappointment.
However, this does not necessarily mean that Joyce renders first love as meaningless. Telling the story through a grown-up narrator while creating an opposition between romantic feelings and childhood activities enables the author to show that the inevitable disappointment of first love can be seen as a step into adulthood. In Joyce’s view, first love is a painful yet valuable experience that signifies an end of childhood and the beginning of a new chapter in life.
Work Cited
Joyce, James. “Arabia.” 40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology, edited by Beverly Lawn, 5th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016, pp. 110-115.