Formalism (new criticism) – “Araby”

I believe that the story “Araby” is solely based on the signification of a young boy’s painful translation into adulthood. I believe this because; often a passage into adulthood usually signifies an important (sometimes traumatic) event or circumstance in a young person’s life. In this case, the young boy makes the transition into adulthood by experiencing heart break, something many, (if not all of us) will experience in our life time. Although, the major reason why this is such a significant moment in this boy’s life is because forces him to detach himself from the crazed fantasy world he adapted too, and deemed reality.

This boy had an unusual obsession with a girl that seemed a tad unhealthy. His emotions controlled his every action, which is a very dangerous and destructive path to follow. The heartbreak that the boy experienced allowed him to see the world in clear focus for the first time, in the eyes of a mature young man. Sometimes life is not everything you expected, and sometimes the love of your life does slip though your fingers, and I believe the boy finally saw that for the first time in his young life. I believe it was a very shocking and life altering pain that snapped him back into reality, and allowed him to finally deal with his emotions and feeling for this young girl in more healthy way.