Dubliners by James Joyce Essay Example

perverted world. At the end of each story, Joyce always presents an epiphany - a moment of revelation - but in all but "Araby," only the reader experiences this realization. In this story, both the protagonist and reader have an epiphany. Throughout Joyce's depictions of Dublin's streets, he describes them as "blind" - a stagnant dead end with no escape or hope. The lack of vision represents the inability to see how rundown Ireland actually is.

The author utilizes the colors "brown" and "yellow" to symbolize human excrement, employing them to depict various elements in the scene. The street lamps are described as having "feeble" lanterns which insinuates that their light is not strong enough to penetrate the darkness. To delve deeper into this literary analysis, visit this study of James Joyce's "Eveline." In one segment of the scene, both drunken men and women who are bargaining jostle the protagonist; it is noteworthy that the term "bargaining" can be interpreted in multiple ways within this context.

There are two meanings to consider: the first involves the sale of items and fluctuating prices, while the second pertains to prostitution. Additionally, "street singers" can be heard singing about issues in Ireland. Harsh weather is a common occurrence with phrases like "cold air stung us," "rain impinge upon the earth," and "the air was pitilessly raw." Religion in Dublin is also found to be exceedingly poor as evidenced by the death of a priest. Books inside his home had pages that were "curled and damp" indicating disinterest.

The books that were found are "The Abbot," a religious story, "The Devout Communicant," a book on how to receive Holy Communion well,

and "The Memoirs of Vidocq," which is about a thief. Their jumbled arrangement suggests that the depiction of religion in Ireland is false. The description of the priest is contradictory, as he is first described as a charitable man but then it is revealed that, in his will, he left his money to institutions and only gave his furniture to his sister. This hints that the priest was only charitable because he knew he was going to die and was not actually a good person. The dead priest's garden has an apple tree at its center, which symbolizes the fabled Garden of Eden - a source of evil.

Within the garden's bush lies a "rusty bicycle-pump" that can hold various meanings. The first interpretation highlights the importance of the pump in enabling movement, as without it, tires cannot be filled and one cannot go anywhere. The second depiction compares the pump to the serpent or Satan from the Garden of Eden due to their comparable size. The final representation portrays the pump as a symbol of a heart that is not pumping, signifying the absence of love and life in Dublin, leading to hopelessness. A moment in the story implying religion is insincere in Dublin is when the boy's Aunt remarks "I'm afraid you may have to put off your bazaar for this night of Our Lord," unkindly suggesting he should abandon his plans. Despite using religious terminology, her words lack compassion.

Despite being in the city of Dublin, family life there is not enjoyable. As the book begins, the protagonist confesses that when his uncle approached, he and his family hid in the shadows

due to their fear. Furthermore, on the night of a bazaar, the uncle arrived home late and intoxicated, completely forgetting about attending the event. Love within Dublin is also mundane, with the protagonist fixated on his infatuation with "Mangan's sister."

The woman is unnamed but referred to as "Mangan's sister" by the narrator. He calls her "thins" due to not knowing her real name. The protagonist sees her as a source of "light" that can brighten up the darkness of Dublin. Her lively and vibrant movements make her stand out compared to others. The narrator "follows" her, but not in a creepy way; he merely keeps his focus on her "brown" figure. The protagonist uses religious language, such as "chalice," "prayers," "praises," "tears," and "adoration," to describe the woman. She has become his secular religion post-Catholicism. He compares her gestures and words to the playing of a harp upon his body.

The author's use of the phrase "O love! O love! many times" resonates as a secular religious act, demonstrating his fervent devotion to his beloved. Finally, after waiting eagerly, she speaks to him about "Araby" but regrets that she cannot go. While conversing, she adorns herself with a shimmering silver bracelet, a symbol of brightness and radiance. Throughout the text, the author describes his beloved with repeated references to light and illumination, including the words "light", "lamp", "white", "lit", and "lit".The narrator's constant thoughts of Araby and Mangan's sister are evident in his musings during both waking and sleep. He is unable to focus on anything else, even chafing against the demands of school as a result. He often positions himself by a window to

watch Mangan's sister, even singing with happiness when purchasing her a gift. His thoughts also hint towards sexual desire for her, as he notices the border below her dress. The story's setting is at a bazaar, or "Araby", a foreign word from the East.

The protagonist of "Araby" views the titular location as an escape from the darkness of Dublin. Its proximity to Arabia in the east adds to its allure, evoking images of an exotic and wealthy place. The eastward-facing location also represents a new dawn and hope, both symbolized by the sun rising in that direction. Furthermore, the east is where Jesus is said to have resurrected, signifying a fresh start or new beginning. However, upon arriving at Araby, the protagonist finds that most of the stalls are closed and those that are open feature people speaking English accents, revealing the bazaar's lack of exoticism.

In the text, a young lady, who is suspected to be a prostitute due to her flirting with two men simultaneously, approaches a boy and offers him something to buy, but he declines, resulting in the shattering of his dreams since the items were costly and unremarkable. Ultimately, the story concludes with an epiphany, a moment of realization for both the protagonist and the reader, despite typically being recognizable only to the reader. The phrase "complete darkness" in the second to last paragraph signifies that hope is lost.

In the final paragraph, the protagonist reflects on his realization that all of his efforts in Dublin were in vain. He describes gazing into the darkness and seeing himself as driven and ridiculed by vanity, causing him to feel

anguish and anger. This moment of self-awareness leads him to conclude that there is no love, romance, or chivalry in his surroundings.