A look at the rites of passage in “Araby” by James Joyce.
This paper examines the rite of passage of a boy’s first crush and highlights the religious and political symbolism that James Joyce uses in this short story. The paper describes how this young boy who is consumed with his friend’s sister but does not have the courage to express it in words or a present. On a deeper level, the paper explains that this is the story of Joyce’s awakening as an artist and his discovery that Dublin under the shadow of British rule offered him nothing; he would have to create his own Araby from within his heart.
The short story Araby was written by James Joyce in 1904, when he was 22 years old. Ten years earlier, when he was twelve, a fair similar to the one in this story came to Dublin.. It was called the Grand Oriental Fete. The song above was one that was actually played at this bazaar *(Gray). Being somewhat autobiographical, Joyce recounts one rite of passage that many 12 year old boys experience: a first crush on neighborhood girl. As is the case of many boys this age, the unnamed narrator is obsessed with girls but in a romantic, pure way.
This young boy hides and stares at a friend’s sister: “Every morning I lay on the floor in front of the parlour watching her door…When she came out on the doorstep my heart leaped. I ran to the hall seized my books and followed her.” He would walk until they walked together but he would always pass her like he was not interested. The reality was however “her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” In this journey that every boy takes, the narrator wants this girl but fear and passion stop him. So he lives in his head, somehow satisfied with inaction where she is concerned, content just to look at her, to follow her and to pass her day after day.”
This young boy hides and stares at a friend’s sister: “Every morning I lay on the floor in front of the parlour watching her door…When she came out on the doorstep my heart leaped. I ran to the hall seized my books and followed her.” He would walk until they walked together but he would always pass her like he was not interested. The reality was however “her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” In this journey that every boy takes, the narrator wants this girl but fear and passion stop him. So he lives in his head, somehow satisfied with inaction where she is concerned, content just to look at her, to follow her and to pass her day after day.”