Question

Define the narrator's feelings for Mangan's sister in Araby. To what extent is she the cause of those feelings? What, as they say, does he see in her?

Answer 1

The narrator in 'Araby' has an idealized infatuation with Mangan's sister, seeing her as the embodiment of his dreams and desires, with his feelings emanating from both her presence and his own imagination.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the short story Araby by James Joyce, the narrator experiences intense feelings for Mangan's sister, which can be described as a youthful and romantic infatuation. His emotions are deeply tied to his own desires, aspirations, and the idealism of youth. To a significant extent, Mangan's sister is the cause of these feelings, but they are also amplified by the narrator's own imagination and the poetic allure he finds in her.

The narrator sees in Mangan's sister a silhouette of his idealistic dreams, the embodiment of beauty, grace, and all that he longs for in his adolescent world. Her presence invokes in him a whirlwind of emotions, which he feels are magnified by her perceived perfection.