How Was the Narrator Disillusioned at the End of the Story “Araby”
Araby is a notable literary work by James Joyce. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Araby.
Answer
How was the narrator disillusioned at the end of the story “Araby”?
At the end of James Joyce’s (1882-1941) “Araby” (1914), the narrator feels deeply disillusioned when his visit to the Araby bazaar does not meet his expectations.
Love: The unnamed narrator has a deep crush on Mangan’s sister. To the boy, she represents beauty, love, and an escape from the dull and monotonous life he leads on his quiet street in Dublin. He promises her to go to Araby Bazaar and bring her something beautiful, though he does not have enough money. He believes that buying her a gift will prove his feelings and that his love be a success.
Disillusionment: Throughout the story, the narrator builds up the bazaar in his mind as a magical and exotic place. He believes buying something nice from Araby will be a perfect way to show his feelings for Mangan’s sister. However, when he finally arrives at the bazaar, his hopes are crushed. Most of the stalls are closed, and the few that remain open sell ordinary items like porcelain vases and tea sets. The bazaar is quiet, and the atmosphere feels dull instead of exciting.
At that moment, the narrator understands that his dreams of impressing Mangan’s sister were based on unrealistic fantasies. He sees that the bazaar is not a magical place. He doesn’t buy a gift and is left with an epiphany (a moment of sudden and great revelation): his quest was motivated more by vanity than love. He reflects in anguish,
Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity.
In conclusion, his realization leaves him heartbroken and ashamed, as he learns that life often does not match the beauty of his dreams. This marks the painful loss of his innocence.