Question

What features of the araby bazaar conflict with the narrator's expectations?

Answer 1

In James Joyce's short story "Araby", Mangan's sister wants the boy to go to the bazaar instead of her. It becomes the first conversation between them. The boy likes the bazaar and falls in the magic of Araby bazaar, considering that it has Eastern connotation. He thinks that he can find his love towards Mangan's sister in this world. However, the reality is completely different that the boy is left alone in the bazaar at the end.  

Answer 2

The narrator once in Araby Bazaar he thinks of Mangan's sister and the magic that the word "Araby" exerts on him reflect high expectations of the Bazaar. He views the bazaar with romantic illusions as he views his "relationship" with Mangan's sister. The term "Araby" is shown to "cast an Eastern enchantment over the narrator." resulting to the narrator perceiving the bazaar as a place of magic, like an Alladin cave where he can find objects worth Mangan's sister's approval. The reality though is different, which corresponds to the narrator's realization of the truth of his "relationship" with Mangan's sister.