Alec: Araby Formalist Criticism

B. “Araby” Signifies a young boy’s painful transition to adulthood.

This claim is valid because the transition in the main character is made evident through the conventions of plot, theme and setting. At the start of the story the main character is looking at his life by analyzing his surroundings and how they relate to him. This in itself is an act of growing up. As the story progresses the boy becomes obsessed with a girl across the street. As this obsession grows he retreats inward and stops playing with the boys on the street, preferring to brood over this girl. By making the decision to go to the bazaar the Boy is exercising the independence that comes with growing up, however he is painfully reminded of his youth by the fact that he has to wait for his Fathers permission and money to go. The final phase of the Boys transition occurs when he realizes that he has been living a childish fantasy. The line: “I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity” shows his acknowledgement of his childishness and by acknowledging this he has made another step, however painful on the road to adulthood. There is an interesting contrast between the opening of the story: “North Richmond Street, being blind.” And “I saw myself” at the end of the story. The transition from blindness to sight suggests growth or rebirth (as an adult).