Symbolism in "Araby"

The plot of "Araby" centers on a 13-year old boy's experiences and awakening to the reality of his life, a life of literal and symbolic darkness with only two points of light. One is the boy and his playmates, children who are too young to have become downtrodden by the drabness of their environment and existence. The street they play on is lit by feeble lantern light, and they play "till our bodies glowed" (295). The second point of light is reflected in the girl of the boy's awakening sexual desire and romantic love.

The boy lives with his aunt and uncle in a dreary, poor section of Dublin, and his environment is a key to his romantic nature, and his need to find some beauty and light in the drab world he inhabits. The story opens with a description of the dead end North Richmond Street where the boy lives, and the dark street is a symbol of the emotional dead end he lives in. The houses sit in "dark, muddy lanes" surrounded by "dark, dripping gardens" near "dark, odorous stables" (295). The setting is winter when the boy's neighb

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Some common words found in the essay are:
Adjectives Joyce, James Joyce's, Richmond Street, , story boy, romantic notion girl, everyday life, white curve neck, white border petticoat, figure defined light, white border, border petticoat, notion girl, boy lives, white curve, defined light, girl boy's, romantic notion,
Approximate Word count = 1082
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page)

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