Dublin is described as a place of entrapment where no one can escape. It describes the River Lyey as a “twinkling river” this gives us the impression that the river is a way out of Dublin; an escape. However Dublin is full of “faring streets” with “drunken men” and “bargaining women” wandering in it with disillusionment.
Joyce emphasizes the descriptions of Margans’ sister. Joyce describes the girls movement, in great detail, yet her features are indistinct. She is merely like a light in the darkness of the boys’ world. Therefore Joyce always describes light when the girl is around; “defined by the light.”
The image the boy carries in his mind is her of a chalice. Something that is holy and to be cherished and celebrated.
The weather and light are mainly wet and dark; “short days of winter.” The light and weather change though once the girl appears. The girl just seems to be walking in a beam of light or is the beacon of light in his darkness of Dublin. The story ends as it begins in darkness.
There is a significance of the name Araby. Araby is a bazaar which has a mystical and eastern sounding. To the boy it is like an enchanting place which weaves its “eastern enchantment” on him.
In the story the boy seems to be approaching adolescence as passages such as “child play, ugly monstrous child’s play.” The boy wants to move away from playing with his friends to becoming interested in girls, one in particular.
In the story of Araby Joyce lets reality of life come through slowly in the story. As the night that the boy wants to go to the bazaar he has to wait until his drunken uncle comes home. This is reflecting paralysis as the boy is struck in his own house. Finally his uncle arrives and he leaves however the journey to the bazaar was lonely. As the train was “deserted”. The boy gets to the bazaar, he realise its closed, crushing his dream, centring the state of paralysis. As the boy walks around the empty bazaar he hears the voice of two English men. Making the boys optimism and his journey of love to an end.
As the boy turns away to leave the bazaar, he turns “slowly” also reclantunctly to leave the bazaar to go home, because maybe were he is, is better than his home. Even though the bazaar is dark and empty; it could be better than the life he lives at home. The story then ends in a moment of epiphany; “a creature driven and derided by vanity; and m eyes burned with anger and anguish.
In the story of Eveline, she thinks a lot about leaving, but in the ends she stays in Dublin. Eveline is trapped by a sense of duty and obligation but also by her lack of the ability to take on a decisive action; “passive, like a helpless animal.” There is a sense of paralysis throughout the story;
“Sitting at the window.” She is longing for an escape but she stays inside where she is safe. “She was tired.”
Eveline spends most of the story reflecting on the pass, rather than looking to the future, as she describes her situation. Joyce again emphases her fatigue; “she didn’t find it a wholly undesirable life.” Even if it included hardship and violence.
If Eveline were to stay leave she could follow the fate of her mother; “That life of common place sacrifices closing to final craziness.” The irony is that her escape may also be doomed. It is likely the sailor will simply seduce and leave her. Possibly in a worst situation than the present one. This provides a sense of paralysis whether Eveline is fully aware of it or not.
When Eveline arrives at the port, the colour changes. Joyce describes “black ships” carrying the “brown baggage” with a “mournful whistle.” This is like a pre-echo that Eveline won’t leave go because the port is so depressive. From reading this will also know she won’t leave. Even though Eveline has the desire to escape she has continuous disappointed.
There is evidence of a religious outlook in the story Eveline. At the end of the story wee Eveline is standing in the port, without a clue what to do. She wants a saviour to help; “she prayed to God to direct her.” But God didn’t help her, no –one came to save her.
The story ends in a moment of epiphany; “She sent a cry of anguish.” Finishing in the way the way that Araby did.
