James joyce biography araby by james

1914 short story by James Joyce

"Araby" is a short story by James Joyce published as the third entry in his 1914 collection Dubliners. The story traces a young boy's infatuation with his friend's sister.

Characters

• A young boy, protagonist and narrator
• Mangan's sister, object of his infatuation
• The boy's uncle
• The boy's aunt
• Mangan
• The boy's friends
• Shopkeeper at Araby
• Customers at Araby

The story is unique in that almost no characters are specifically named.

Plot

Through first-person narration, the reader is immersed at the start of the story in the drab life that people live on North Richmond Street, which seems to be illuminated only by the verve and imagination of the children who, despite the growing darkness that comes during the winter months, insist on playing "until [their] bodies glowed".

Even though the conditions of this neighbourhood leave much to be desired, the children's play is infused with their almost magical way of