Shattered Illusion

  Both ‘Araby’ and ‘Eveline’ is a short story with a narrator who is in love. Though the characters and the setting differ between two stories, the way they are organized shows many similarities. One of the similarities is narrators’ illusion and how they face their reality.

  In ‘Araby’, the protagonist has crush on Mangan’s sister. His love is consistent and passionate but is one sided. One the other hand, Eveline in ‘Eveline’ is planning to marry with her lover and move to Buenos Aires.

  Despite other differences, these narrators share the most important viewpoint: the way they view their lover. The boy in ‘Araby’ expresses his unconditional love toward Mangan’s sister. He would do anything if he could satisfy her and that is why he decides to go to the Araby. So does Eveline’s love toward her lover. Though some of his characters can be perceived negatively, such as instability as a sailor, Eveline sees every aspect of her lover in positive way. Considering the way she describes her family, it is not likely that she is optimistic all the time.

  Illusions created by the narrators are shattered in similar ways in both of the stories. The moment of impact approaches and the event occurs abruptly and accidently. The key to reality in ‘Araby’ was the Araby. As the boy enters the Araby and sees the world of adult, the ideal he had disappeared and he acknowledges that how meaningless his childish love is. Eveline follows similar step. As the moment of departure approaches, her anxiety grows and becomes dominant that she cannot decide whether she should leave or not. In other word, the dream she had about leaving her family and moving to Buenos Aires has been gone and the reality hindered her from choosing new life. As she think of her family who will be left alone, the illusion of Buenos Aires as well as that of her lover is shattered.