Is It Really Love

Daniel Quinones

February 19, 2008

ENC 1102

Is it really Love?

Love is a word that is universal in today's world. From puppy love to true love the word love has many different meanings in English, from something that gives a little pleasure ("I loved that meal") to something one would die for (ideals, family). It can describe an intense feeling of affection, an emotion or an emotional state. In ordinary use, it usually refers to interpersonal love.

In James Joyce's short story "Araby," the main character is a young boy who confuses obsession with love. This boy thinks he is in love with a young girl, but all of his thoughts, ideas, and actions show that he is just obsessed. Throughout this short story, there are many examples that show the boy's obsession for the girl. There is also evidence that shows the boy does not really understand love or all of the feelings that go along with it. Obsession is similar to lust but it is much more misleading and destructive. While lust is often fleeting, fading as two people come to know each other better, obsession sticks around once people have seen each other flaws and all. In fact, obsession can be made worse with time while lust always fades. Love can grow out of lust but obsession kills love every time. In short, love is sometimes confused with obsession and "Araby" is a perfect example of it.

When the boy first describes the girl, you can see his obsession for her. He seems to notice every detail such as "her dress swung as she moved her body and the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side" (Joyce). You do not usually remember every minute detail of someone unless you are very intrigued by them. Also, he describes her hair as "soft rope." This shows the intricate way the boy views her. Another way you can see the young boy's obsession for the girl is through his actions. Every morning, he waits for the girl to appear, and then he follows her. The way in which the boy waits for the girl definitely shows that he is obsessed with her.

As the young boy lies "on the floor in the front parlor watching her. The blind was pulled down to within an inch of the sash so that he could not be seen" (Joyce). This sounds like spying, and spying on someone usually indicates that you have a fixation with that person. In this case, the young boy does demonstrate this fixation. For instance, while the young boy is following her, this is the way he describes his adventure:

"I kept her brown figure always in my eye, and when we came near the point at which our ways diverged, I quickened my pace and passed her. This happened morning after morning. I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood" (Joyce).

This shows that the boy always watches where she is going, and then goes out of his way to get physically closer to her. In this example, you can plainly see that the boy's actions are being controlled by his obsession for the girl, and not by some great love he has for her.

Another example, that shows the boy's obsession for the young girl, comes after the two of them have a brief conversation. In the conversation, the young girl asks the boy if he is "going to Araby" (Joyce), and then the girl states that "it would be a splendid bazaar, she would love to go" (Joyce), but she is already obligated to something else. Finally, the young boy says, "If I go, I will bring you something (Joyce). After the boy speaks to the girl, he finds it hard to concentrate on anything except for her.

In this excerpt, you can plainly see that the boy thinks he is in love with the girl, but in fact he is just obsessed with her. The two of them hardly speak to one another, and yet he is completely intrigued by her. Also, when someone is in love the feeling is usually mutual, but it is obvious that the young girl is not in love with him. In their brief conversation, the young girl does not even hint at the notion that she is attracted to the young boy, and her actions do not portray that she is in love with him either.