What is love? Love is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a feeling or disposition of deep affection or affection for someone. Love is an emotion that we, as humans, want to pursue and ultimately achieve. James Joyce disagreed with this perception through his short story “Araby”. Arabia represents love as a display of futility that will inevitably lead to a lower quality of life. Joyce represents this idea through the protagonist's human experiences and how they vary. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout the short story, Joyce leaves the narrator nameless; a teenage Catholic schoolboy and his love interest "Magan's sister". By adopting this anonymity, the author removes the identity of the narrator and allows him to follow his superficial perception of love. Joyce places the boy living in an oppressive and joyless environment, in which the narrator cannot detach himself from his dark surroundings, until he finds the girl to immerse himself in, distracting himself. Joyce demonstrates this through the narrator's description of "Magan's sister." The visual image that Joyce presents to the reader is completely physical; “a lamp….. caught the white curve of her neck, illuminating her hair which rested there”. This vivid imagery reflects the boy's physical appreciation solely for his exterior, with complete disregard for his interior. This is further manifested through the symbolism of her vaguely filling the shape of a lit lamp, emphasizing her lack of knowledge about his personality. Thus, Joyce must demonstrate how the narrator attributes his personality traits through physical observations. Joyce critiques society, questioning why humans fall in love and are satisfied by aesthetics above any intimate personal connection. To further explore Joyce’s concern; the narrator questions his own motivations through his journey. Having circumvented obstacles to reach the market, and on the verge of completing his quest, achieving success and finding love, he suddenly realized that he was "a creature driven and ridiculed by vanity." He considers himself a passive-speaking creature, ashamed of the effect of the journey on his character. This disappointing ending takes the audience away from their expectations, forcing them to question their own pursuit of love and whether it's worth the sacrifice. Joyce questions the belief that love is fulfilling, insisting that it only isolates itself from true friendships, which will ultimately decrease satisfaction and quality of life, claiming that friendships are more important than love. The beginning of the story, the narrator reflects on the experiences he shared with his friends, stating how "their cries echoed in the silent street." The use of silence highlights the absence of noise evoking the usual idea that silence is synonymous with fear and loneliness. However, Joyce draws attention to the way their cries fill the empty space, as well as the important role of friendships and how they can overcome difficult emotional challenges. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get Joyce rejects the belief that love is fulfilling and expresses how the journey of love will lead to pain, isolation, and no meaningful friendship. Through anonymities, vivid images, images, contrast and symbolism, the author is able to express his doubts about?