Explication of Araby

Love and Disillusionment
In James Joyce's short story, "Araby," the author describes a young boy's quest from romance to dejection and disappointment brought about by a young girl's unintentional taunts. When the boy falls in love, his religious beliefs and sexual awakenment collide leaving him in a state of utter confusion. He puts a religious spin on his sensual ideas, due to the fact that he is naïve and does not understand what is happening to him. The main character of the piece is an adolescent who is experiencing many new emotions that he cannot comprehend. The only thi…