Explication of Araby

Love and Disillusionment In James Joyce's short story, "Araby," the author describes a young boy's quest from romance to dejection and disappointment brought about by a young girl's unintentional taunts. When the boy falls in love, his religious beliefs and sexual awakenment collide leaving him in a state of utter confusion. He puts a religious spin on his sensual ideas, due to the fact that he is naïve and does not …

…he can better understand. By turning his feelings for this girl into a type of religion, or something he is already familiar with, he is more comfortable in thinking about her. Joyce uses religious imagery, as well as repetition of consonant sounds to capture the attention of the reader. Although it is a love story it has a very dismal overall tone which helps the reader sympathize with the boy's feelings of confusion and betrayal.