Altering the Epiphany in Joyce’s Araby

***Original

“Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger.”


***Altered

“Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and determined by impulse; and my eyes shone with perseverance and preparation.”


In James Joyce’s Araby, the protagonist experiences an epiphany—a painful, disillusioning realization that marks his loss of innocence. Yet, if this moment of insight were reframed not as a bitter end but as a turning point toward growth, the story would take on a profoundly different hue. By replacing “driven and derided by vanity” with “driven and determined by impulse” and “eyes burned with anguish and anger” with “eyes shone with perseverance and preparation,” the narrative shifts from a portrait of despair to one of resilience and self-discovery.

The Original Epiphany: Disillusionment and Paralysis

In Joyce’s original version, the boy’s epiphany is a sobering collision between romantic fantasy and stark reality. His journey to the Araby bazaar, driven by his infatuation with Mangan’s sister, culminates in crushing disappointment. The phrase “driven and derided by vanity” highlights that his actions stem from self-centered pride rather than pure affection. As he stands in the dimming marketplace, his youthful illusions shatter, and his “eyes burned with anguish and anger”—a searing reflection of his frustration, shame, and loss. This epiphany marks his fall from idealism into the cold awareness of life’s indifference, encapsulating the central themes of paralysis and disillusionment that permeate Dubliners.

The Proposed Changes: From Despair to Determination

Reimagining the boy’s epiphany shifts the story’s emotional trajectory. Suppose his motivation is not vanity but raw, youthful impulse—a fervent, if naive, yearning for connection. Replacing “driven and derided by vanity” with “driven and determined by impulse” reframes his journey as one propelled not by pride, but by sincerity and passion. In this version, his actions are less a product of self-absorption and more a natural expression of youthful longing—a humanizing portrayal that retains his innocence even within his folly.

Similarly, altering “eyes burned with anguish and anger” to “eyes shone with perseverance and preparation” transforms the nature of his realization. Rather than collapsing under the weight of disappointment, the boy processes his failure as a lesson and a call to grow. His eyes, though opened to life’s harshness, do not burn with bitterness but shine with a newfound resolve. He no longer stands as a defeated child but as a youth tempered by experience, poised for the challenges ahead.

The Impact of a Positive Epiphany

These adjustments significantly alter the thematic fabric of Araby:
• From Disillusionment to Growth: In the original, the boy’s epiphany is a painful end—a descent from innocence to paralysis. In the revised version, it becomes a moment of growth, where disappointment, rather than crushing him, ignites his determination to mature beyond his youthful naivety.
• A Shift in Tone: The somber, oppressive mood of Joyce’s Araby, heavy with the shadows of unrealized dreams, softens into something bittersweet yet hopeful. The Araby bazaar, though still a site of disenchantment, becomes a stage for transformation rather than paralysis.
• A Universal Coming-of-Age Narrative: While the original epiphany captures the sting of youthful disillusionment, the revised version presents a more familiar narrative of resilience. It becomes a classic coming-of-age moment, where failure serves not as a conclusion but as a threshold to maturity.

Preserving Joyce’s Essence Through Variation

While this reinterpretation veers from Joyce’s portrayal of paralysis—a central motif of Dubliners—it does not diminish the story’s literary power. Rather, it offers a complementary perspective: that epiphanies, though often born from disillusionment, can also spark perseverance. In life, realization and growth are not always forged in bitterness alone; sometimes, they emerge from the quiet resolve to move forward, wiser and stronger.

In this version of Araby, the boy still leaves the bazaar with his illusions shattered, but his spirit remains unbroken. His journey through the darkness does not end in paralysis but in preparation—a recognition that even in disappointment, there is the seed of a brighter path ahead.

This reimagining, though distinct from Joyce’s original vision, offers a hopeful alternative: that epiphanies are not solely the end of innocence but also the beginning of understanding. It suggests that while the world may often fall short of our dreams, the courage to face that truth can, in itself, be a form of grace.