Araby” is a short story by James Joyce, featured in his 1914 collection titled “Dubliners.” It’s a poignant narrative of a young boy’s first brush with love and disappointment. Set in Dublin, Ireland, during the late 19th century, the story unfolds on North Richmond Street, a quiet locale housing several brownstone residences and a Catholic school.

​

The unnamed narrator, a young boy, lives with his aunt and uncle and becomes infatuated with his friend Mangan’s older sister. His crush on her leads him to promise that he’ll buy her a gift from the Araby bazaar, an Eastern-themed market that he eagerly anticipates visiting. However, his romantic aspirations are met with a harsh dose of reality when he arrives at the bazaar, only to find it closing and himself unable to procure the gift he had promised.