North Richman Street seems like a quiet street, until you discover the people and their interest.
Araby is a novel written by James Joyce, his use of diction, imagery, and characterization creates a sense of desperation and anxiety. Although Araby is some what considered a love story, it has many surprising ironic twists and unexpected resolutions. James Joyce uses a variety of different words; his use of diction is intelligent and old fashion. The words he corporate into Araby brings out every single aspect of the character’s feelings. This quote from Araby shows the authors brilliant choice of words to describe a dark and suspenseful mood. Through one of the broken panes I heard the rain impinge upon the earth, the fine incessant needles of water playing in the sodden beds” By utilizing the word impinge, Joyce also shows imagery through the rain impinge, or the interruption on the earth.
The word incessant also describes the needles as piercing and unstoppable, onto the “ sodden” or soaking wet beds, from the rain impinge. Joyce’s choice of diction also helps to illustrate the imagery of Araby. In Araby, Joyce uses imagery to communicate the narrator’s attraction to Mangan’s sister. Without his choice of diction, imagery would not be present in the story. Joyce uses imagery to describe Mangan’s sister and her flawless actions.
“ Her dress swung as she moved her body and the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side” In reality all Mangan’s sister did was move, butt he narrator saw it as the most beautiful move in the world. Joyce’s choice of word shows imagery through Mangan’s sister and her perfect ways, as her hair “ soft rope” tossed from side to side while it shimmered in the light. The Narrator sees her and is obsessed with every step she takes. The choice of diction illustrates imagery and shows the characterization of the characters.
In Araby, there is a set of characters that are portrayed by characterization which is shown from the choice of diction to parade imagery. “ 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. ” The narrator describes a characterization of two different people, including himself and Mangan’s sister, which he is hopelessly in love with. He also characterized himself as a shy, unspoken guy that is desperate to be in love. Mangan’s sister is also characterized as having a “ brown figure”. A character can be easily determined by their dialogue, which includes mood and tone.
Araby is full of imagery, from the author, James Joyce’s, choice of diction, which also exhibits the characterization of the narrator and his desperate, hopeless love interest. Although the author exploits other literary devices in Araby, he emphasized his diction, imagery, and characterization to show the details of the narrator and what he sees. North Richmond Street may be quiet, but not through the narrator’s eyes.
