Epiphany+in+Araby

Example from per. 2 students, Debbie G, Ryan G, Jon K, Val Y:

The narrator's epiphany is the realization that reality falls short of his romanticized version of love -- this can also be Joyce's commentary on his culture's romanticized version of the Church. Evidence of this is the boy's tendency to portray the girl as the Virgin Mary, a sort of holy symbol always standing in the light. Once he arrives at Araby, he realizes the vulgarity of it and sees that his fantasies were superficial. The marketplace mirrors the biblical story of Jesus driving the merchants out of the church. His epiphany is marked by the call for lights out, symbolizing the light of his fantasies that blinded him finally dying out so he can see the truth. He is angry with himself for having been taken by superficial dreams.