Araby

by James Joyce · 1914

“Araby” is a short story by James Joyce first published in the 1914 collection Dubliners. Set on North Richmond Street in Dublin, the unnamed narrator, a young boy, becomes infatuated with his friend’s older sister and promises to bring her a gift from the exotic bazaar called Araby. The story follows his journey through the drab, winter‑lit streets, his anticipation, and the ultimate disappointment when the market is closed and dark. Through vivid, sensory detail and a first‑person voice, Joyce portrays the boy’s awakening to the gap between his romantic ideals and the grim reality of his environment, delivering a classic moment of epiphany that marks the loss of childhood illusion.