James Joyce's story "Araby" takes place in the late 1800's toearly 1900's. The story begins in a very common and routine neighborhood of lower class people. The story moves into the characters home, then toa short ride in a traincar, and finally to the long awaited bazaar called "Araby". Joyce starts with this common setting to support his characters emotional feelings towards his idea of love of a neighbor girl. He seems to be attracted tothings by his way of glamorizing them, such as the book he finds in his home. He likes this book because of its yellow pages, which somehow turn the book into something exotic. The setting begins to contrast with the boys expectations of his dreams and imagination of what the bazaar will be like. As the street is blind, so also is the boys desire to please this girl, who he has placed somewhat on a pedestal, with something so exotic and unusual, that she would be so proud of him for.
The setting continues to affect the behavior of the boy as he awaits the return of his uncle so that he may leave to attend the bazaar. His impatience grows and the setting of his home becomes an annoying and restrictive one. His blindness as referred to of the street now becomes his myopic view. He can only see getting to that bazaar, which is wonderful and exciting and finding the love of his life something she deserves. Finally he is able to go and the setting changes to an old traincar which is almost empty and we start to see the deflating of the boy's view. He knows he is going to be late and he is still thinking about that perfect gift. Atlast he reaches the bazaar and he quickly finds a way in and the setting again changes to a desolate and lonely bazaar. A place which is closing and only a few shops which remain open. Joyce cleverly begins the revelation of what the actual bazaar is like and this setting shows the emotional realization of the boy. The revelation of an ordinary place with ordinary people and ordinary things.