How Does Joyce Instill A False Sense Of Reality

One of James Joyce’s most discernable talents is his ability to instill a false sense of reality in his characters in order to demonstrate one of human race’s major flaws. The fact that we attempt to live in an idealistic world rather than live in reality. This is evident in both of Joyce’s tragic coming-of-age stories “Araby” and “Eveline.” In both stories, the main characters become consumed by overwhelming thoughts of love and escape, these thoughts blind them of their true situation, until they come to a sudden realization of their misguidance.Throughout the entirety of both “Araby” and “Eveline”, James Joyce incorporates details of love and affection along with sudden epiphanies at the end of the story in order to create a universal theme that human beings are often blinded by their ideals for a perfect life which in turn masks a truer, more harsh reality.

After the narrator of “Araby” had finished his conversation with the woman whom he believes will be the love of his life, he stated, “what innumerable follies, laid waste to my waking and sleeping thoughts after that evening!” The narrator had just finished a typical “small talk” conversation with a woman he has a had very minimal interaction with. Most people would think nothing of this conversation, but the narrator believes that this interaction was an opening to her heart which will then in turn lead to his ideal fantasy. If the narrator was able to see this interaction for what it really was, he wouldn’t have spent the next “tedious intervening days” obsessing over their conversation. The narrator unknowingly intends to use her in order to escape his everyday realities. By showing how the narrator was unable to see the reality of the situation, it proves