Araby - The World of Love, Drab and Frustration

James Joyce (1882-1941) was born in Dublin. Alongsentences that they exchanged. This is the only
with W.B Yeats and George Bernard Shaw, heimportant work for the boy. And on the other hand
formed the trio. Joyce's novel, "A Portrait of thehe wants to go the magical place called Araby. He is
Youngman" is a very popular novel, "Dubliners" (1905)anxiously waiting for the day when he will go to
his first book. It is the collection of short stories. HisAraby. He is very much excited and full of thrill. He is
other important works are "Ulysses (1922),very much happy that he is finally on his way of his
"Finnegan's Lake" (1939).dream destination.
"Araby" by James Joyce is a great and all time'sBut due to some delay, he reached Araby in a very
favorite short story. "Araby" can be criticized fromawkward moment. When he reaches the place at
different aspect. It is the story of a boy. Jamesthat time most of the stalls are closed and moreover
Joyce pregnated the theme of his story with variousthe large portion of the gala is ended in darkness. He
symbolic overtones, he creates the real world. In realcannot able to taste the glamour and the grandeur of
world each and every person has to face thethe place his dream. He finds that all dreams are
frustration, displeasure, love hatred, reality. This is thebreaking before his eyes and he cannot able do
truth and universal. "Araby is about dream, happiness,anything to retain his dreams. There is complete
realism, darkness and drab world.darkness in the hall. He finds out the place is only
The boy- hero of the story lives in the drabmeant for commercial purpose. And in such place
surrounding of Dublin. From the very beginning of theneither his dream nor his love can stand forcefully. He
story we get to know that the boy has a secretleft the place with anger and frustration. The place
adoration for a girl. She is the sister of boy-hero'shas no charm for him. He finds out that place is very
friend Mangan. The boy nourishes a very deep andmuch inferior. He cannot able to match the place of
pure passion for his dream girl. He waits earnestlyhis dream with the real place where he is standing.
every day to have a glimpse of the girl. But the boyThe place is basically place for bargaining and
never gets the chance to speak with his lady-love.purchasing of different commodities. In such a place
He always carries the image of the girl. He cannotall his dream shatters down. Before coming in the
forget her name for a moment. he describes hisplace he is in the dream world. In that world he finds
condition in the following words: "I imagined that Ithe girl and Araby. But from now onwards he can
bore the chalice safely through a throng of foes"see the hard core reality which is very harsh. He
The boy-hero pined for the beauty and love of thefeels frustration and this frustration is universal. It lies
girl. Very co-incidentally the girl speaks with the boy.deep in the heart of the man. Every one wishes free
It is great moment for the boy. The girl speakshim out of the drab reality but he fails. Failure,
about "Araby", a great fest, it is the dreamland whichfrustration, mechanical manner, anger, anguish are all
is full of glamour and grandeur . For the boy it is athe universal diseases of every man.
double treat. First his dream girl speaks with her andJoyce very nicely and easily through this boy held the
secondly he is thrilled by the place "Araby". It isidea of today's living standard. He uses various
another romantic affair for the boy-hero.images and symbols for showing the universal
He wants to visit this dreamland along with his girl.experiences of this universe. Here lies Joyce's
But she cannot able to accompany him as she hassimplicity towards life and his approach to life.
retreat in her convent. The boy promises that he willThrough the love ratio between the boy and the girl
bring some gifts for her from that splendid placehe focuses on the point what we wants sometimes
called --- Araby. The boy-hero now wishes towe do not get that desired and most wanted object
memorize those few moments and very little sweatin our life. Then only we suffer from frustration.