The narrator of the story says that the image of Mangan's sister "accompanied [him] even in places the most hostile to romance." He then speaks of his imaginings: how he "bore [his] chalice safely through a throng of foes" when he would walk through the "flaring streets" that were filled with drunkards and shoppers, people selling goods and singers looking to make money from the passers-by. He imagines that the love he carries for Mangan's sister is something heroic, something extraordinary, like something out of a fairy tale. He thinks of himself as a hero on some errand with divine purpose. In reality, however, he lives in early-twentieth-century Dublin, in an old home and on a street with houses which have "brown, imperturbable faces." Something has, evidently, happened to prevent his parents from raising him, and he is raised by an aunt and uncle. His family is working class. It's a buy-and-sell world where money is king and the death of the priest in the boy's house seems to signify that God has no role here. The world does not care about one little boy's feelings, and the path is not smooth to Araby: his uncle is late, the trains are delayed, entry is expensive, and there is nothing exotic about the bazaar. Only money seems to matter, as he hears the coins clinking together as men count them. As a result, he realizes his own "vanity" and loses his innocence.
The narrator of "Araby," a young boy, is an idealist. While he paints a dark and drab picture of his surroundings, he sees beyond the pale that is presented. However, his rose-colored glasses break at the end of the story as he realizes he is simply a fool in love.
At the beginning of the story, the narrator introduces us to Mangan's sister, the girl he is pining over. She is the "chalice" (not challenge) he bores "safely through a throng of foes." While he had never really spoken to her "except for a few casual words," the narrator speaks of her as if they are destined to be together. His positive outlook is in stark contrast to the dark setting that represents the truth of this "relationship."
What's interesting here is that, for the narrator, this isn't simply a boyhood crush. He recalls that "Her image accompanied [him] even in places the most hostile to romance." The word "romance" sheds light on the depth of his feelings, and the fact that he carries her (the chalice) with him throughout every moment of his day illuminates his growing infatuation. A chalice is a sacred object used in a Catholic mass, and he views her as such because she has become embedded in his heart.
As the story progresses, the narrator finally sums up the courage to speak with her. She mentions the bazaar at Araby and wishes to go but cannot because she has a prior obligation with her convent. Missing the chaste words here completely, the narrator promises to bring her something from Araby. Here, we see the narrator embark on a quest to impress his love, a grandiose odyssey that will result in unity with his mate.
Unfortunately, the end of this tale reveals the truth in the matter. As the narrator stands in the middle of a closing marketplace, he realizes his folly. He is simply a boy in love who lost sight of himself. His love is unrequited.
In the beginning, the narrator is dreaming of a fairytale romance in a picturesque world that ends happily ever after. However, his idealism betrays his heart when he comes to realize he has been foolish. He ends up alone at the bazaar which reflects the harsh reality he must now return to.
The young adolescent narrator finds his Dublin life dull, brown, and mundane. He longs for romance and a world that is richer and purer. He focuses these desires on his idealized image of Mangan's sister, who is his symbol of a more exalted existence.
As the paragraph in which the quote appears opens, the narrator tells us that the image of Mangan's sister accompanies him even into the most "unromantic" of places, infusing them with romance. He says he carries her with him like a chalice. A chalice is a cup used in the Roman Catholic church to serve communion wine. Because it holds the blood of Christ, it is a sacred object. The boy, therefore, is saying that he carries Mangan's sister's image with him as if it is holy. This suggests that he sees her and treats as pure and puts her on a pedestal. Further, she is like a chalice holding the blood of Christ (the communion wine) in that she offers him new life.
Finally, when the narrator says that he carries her through a throng of foes, he is differentiating between her and the other people in Dublin, who he sees as enemies. He is also indicating that he is protective of her image.
At the end of the story, the narrator will realize he made Mangan's sister, like the bazaar Araby, into a creation of his imagination. Neither can bring him away from his Dublin life.
The young narrator imagines himself on a heroic quest and is caught up in the throes of young love. The “chalice” that he imagines bearing through the foes that stand between him and his beloved may be compared to another chalice: the Holy Grail. In this regard, the narrator’s quest is pure and noble. In particular, the boy desperately wants to be a hero to Mangan’s sister. While adults might look on his emotions toward her as a crush, he is suffering from the deep wounds that first love can inflict. He fixates on the Araby bazaar as a place where he could find a suitable gift—something worthy of his beloved. Araby, he finds, is only a name; there is nothing exotic about the bazaar and his hopes of finding the ideal offering are dashed. Ultimately he learns that an exalted image is just that, as the sister is just another girl, and he had created his own agonies through his vanity.
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