1

Symbolism in Araby

Symbolism is a technique through which objects, places and things are

imbued with a greater, deeper and inherent meaning, in addition to the

literal meaning that one can derive from it at face value. Due to the

profound ability of Symbolism as a technique to draw upon the various

senses of the reader, it thereby manages to significantly heighten the

reader’s experience of the text. It is due to the above-stated reason that

Symbolism has come to be known as one of the most frequently used

literary techniques. In Araby, by James Joyce, we are presented

with a text that is replete with Symbolism, most of which serve

as allusions to significant autobiographical events that have

occurred during the course of Joyce’s life, and to the hidden

meanings in the life of the un-named protagonist.

The first instance of Symbolism that we come across is with the word

“blind”. In the story, the word “blind” has been used thrice. When the

word is used as an adjective to describe North Richmond Street, it stands

as an indicator of two possibilities. First, “blind” could signify a dead

end, meaning that the Street might be situated at the very end of the city

of Dublin. From the autobiographical accounts of James Joyce, we find

that he attended the Christian Brothers’ School at North Richmond

Street. In this context, the word “blind” can also be seen as an adjective

that Joyce uses to describe his own experience there. Finally, it can be

seen, quite explicitly, that the word “blind” serves as a perfect summary

of the boy’s state of mind, whenever he sees Mangan’s sister. He is

completely blinded by her beauty, and is absolutely overpowered by the

intense love that he harbours for her, to the extent that he becomes

“blind” to other sensations, and to his surroundings as well.

The next instance of Symbolism presents itself in the form of the colour,

Brown. The usage of colours is a frequented approach in the practise of

Symbolism, primarily owing to the reason that the description of colours,

quite unfailingly, manages to arouse the senses. Here, in Araby, we find

that the colour brown evokes two very different and opposing emotions,

with both of them being quite powerful in their own right. Brown, when

associated with the houses, invokes within the reader an image of

sobriety, of laziness and of indifference. While the colour, in this context,

perfectly captures the demeanour of the houses, it also stands as a

symbol for Joyce’s feeling towards Dublin and Ireland. Joyce uses the

colour brown to inform the readers about his perception of the everyday

dullness that was prevalent in Dublin. However, on the flip side, we find

that the colour brown is also associated with the girl. Whenever the boy

thinks of Mangan’s sister, the phrases used to describe the image are as
 3

follows: “I kept her brown figure always in my eye” (Joyce 22) and “…..

seeing nothing but the brown-clad figure cast by my imagination” (Joyce

23). As a result of these associations, the colour brown becomes a symbol

of joy, longing and titillation. The rather paradoxical evocation that the

colour brown achieves is not only a wonderful testimony to the

effectiveness of Symbolism as a technique, but also serves as a tribute to

Joyce’s genius.

The third instance of symbolism lies in the motifs of Light and Darkness.

From certain phrases in the story, like: “the dark muddy lanes” (Joyce

22) and “dark dripping gardens where odours arose from ashpits, to the

dark odorous stables” (Joyce 22), we are given to understand that the

conditions of living, in that area, were not of the best standards. These

phrases also echo of certain periods in Joyce’s life, when he and his

family were forced to live below their means in Dublin, due to penury.

The darkness that seems to pervade every element of the boy’s life is

countered by elements of Light, which he finds through the means of his

adoration of Mangan’s sister. The above-mentioned idea is re-enforced

by the metaphors involving light that are found in the phrases that the

boy uses to describe the girl. For example, we have phrases like: “She

was waiting for us, her figure defined by the light from the half-opened

door” (Joyce 22) and “The light from the lamp opposite our door caught
 4

the white curve of her neck, lit up her hair that rested there and, falling,

lit up the hand upon the railing” (Joyce 24). This clever interplay with

the themes of Light and Darkness, when viewed together, could

symbolise the optimistic idea of there being hope, even in the utmost

depths of darkness.

The next few instances of Symbolism that we find are in the form of

individual objects. For instance, in the story, we are presented with a

very vivid image of the bicycle pump. The phrase used in association

with it, is: “the rusty bicycle pump” (Joyce 21). Here, the pump,

especially with the rust on it, can be viewed as being symbolic of the time

that has passed. When viewed from this frame, we find that the pump

represents the priest who had passed away, while, on the other hand, it

also serves as an insight to that profound moment in Joyce’s life, when

he renounced his religion and Jesuit education in order to become an

artist. In addition, the pump’s odd positioning in the garden could be

representative of the intense confusion that the boy felt, with regard to

his feelings towards Mangan’s sister.

The other object endowed with Symbolism is the apple tree. The phrase

that eloquently describes the apple tree is as follows: “ a central apple

tree and a few straggling bushes” (Joyce 21). The apple tree, in its most
 5

obvious sense, could be a biblical reference to the Tree of Knowledge.

This view-point makes particular sense when juxtaposed with the ending

of the story, where the boy grows disillusioned with his excessive

adoration of Mangan’s sister. Technically, it can be said that Araby

chronicles the journey of a boy from his innocence to disillusionment.

This transformation, in all likelihood, must have happened due to the

inflow of knowledge and maturity. The other sense in which the apple

tree symbol becomes important is, yet again, with respect to a certain

part of Joyce’s early life. The verb “straggling”, here, could be symbolic of

the inner turmoil that Joyce faced at various points in his life, be it with

regards to his education or religion. The apple tree could be an

embodiment of James Joyce, while the straggling bushes could represent

his inner turmoil and struggles.

Frequent mentions of the Clock in the story is what makes it our next

symbol. From phrases like “I sat staring in front of the clock” (Joyce 24),

we are automatically induced to connotate the object with feelings of

irritation and foreboding. This image could also be a manifestation of the

strong feelings that Joyce had during his lifetime, with respect to the

changing nature of Irish Nationalism during those days.

The market, Araby, is a rich and exciting symbol in itself. The word

“Araby”, when pronounced, is strangely reminiscent of Arabia and the

Middle East, the regions, which, during those times, were famous for

tales of magic and enchantment. The idea of a visit to the market

precisely manages to create the same enchantment for the boy, thereby

making Araby a symbol of miracles and enchantment.

Finally, meriting the need for a discussion are the religious symbols.

From the very get-go, Araby thrives with explicit symbols that allude to

religion. For instance, we have the priest, the Jesuit school, the retreat,

the church, and the references to “Our Lord”, to name a few. Together,

they symbolise the intense religious upbringing that the boy in the story

has, an aspect that can find a strong parallel in Joyce’s early childhood

days.

Mangan’s sister is also a very important symbol in the story. Upon

considering the very strong, intense and passionate feelings that the boy

nourishes towards her, it wouldn’t be wrong to label it as “devotion”. So,

if his acts represent devotion, then, Mangan’s sister could, in all

likelihood, very well be symbolic of Virgin Mary. This understanding of

the above-mentioned symbol automatically leads us to the next symbol,

that of the Chalice, one of integral importance to Christianity. The

phrase, “I imagined that I bore my Chalice safely through a throng of

foes”, could be a reference to how he protected Mangan’s sister from

other boys and other dangers, in his mind, by idolising her. Also,

considering the immense, sacred value that one often associates with the

Chalice, the boy’s association of the girl with the Chalice could very well

be symbolic of the sanctity and purity of love that he harboured for her.

In conclusion, it needs to be noted that the intense symbolism in Araby

achieves the desired effect due to the richness in the language that

accompanies it. The language, thriving with descriptive language and

laden with metaphors, perfectly sets the tone for the Symbolism to take

birth in the minds of the readers.

The symbols, when thought of together, seem to be an equivalent to a

Greek Cornucopia that is filled with intrinsic and tantalising details of

Joyce’s life, while also speaking volumes about the peculiar struggles in

the life of the boy, the hero of this story.

WORD COUNT: 1576

SHIVANI PILLAI.