Araby (Joyce)
On a quiet street in Dublin, a young boy lived with his aunt and uncle. He spent his days playing with his friends and attending school. One day, he became infatuated with his friend Mangan's sister, who lived nearby.
He would watch her from his window every morning and follow her to school, never speaking to her directly.
"I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood."
One evening, Mangan's sister spoke to the boy and asked if he was going to the Araby bazaar. She expressed her desire to go, but she couldn't because of a retreat at her convent. The boy promised to bring her something if he went. This conversation consumed his thoughts, and he struggled to focus on his daily life.
The boy asked his uncle for permission to go to the bazaar on Saturday night. His uncle agreed, but he forgot about the promise and came home late that evening. The boy's aunt urged his uncle to give him the money, and the boy hurried to the bazaar.
When he arrived, the bazaar was nearly closed, and most of the stalls were dark. He approached one stall where a young lady was talking with two young men. She asked if he wanted to buy anything, but he declined. He lingered at the stall, hoping to find something for Mangan's sister, but eventually left empty-handed.
As the bazaar closed and the lights went out, the boy realized the futility of his quest.
"Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger."
He felt driven and derided by his own vanity, and his eyes burned with anguish and anger.