Araby's Epiphany and Paralysis

In "Araby" by James Joyce, the main character expresses his affection and feelings that he has towards Mangan's sister. He see's the girl very attracting and he can not help but judge her appearance and figure to someone that is divine and purity. In addition, the boy mentions "every morning I lay on the floor in the front parlour watching her door" (30). Knowing that he is watching her we are able to tell his feelings have carried to the point where stalking is now becoming an issue for him.

As he follows her from morning after morning there never seems to be any connection between them. The only communication that he was able to have with her were just a few words. The boy can not help but think about her and when he does we can see his affection for her is deeply expressing his divine feelings by what he calls romance. As time goes by, the boy finally has a connection with the girl. She speaks to him and asks if he's going to the Araby. Surprised as he is, the boy then decides to go but she will not be able to go with him. "She could not go, she said, because there would be a retreat that week in her convent" (32). He still decides to go because he wants to impress her and perhaps make himself look good for her. The boy then tells her he will bring her something back from the bazaar.

After making his promise to the girl, he waits the next morning and tells his uncle and aunt that he would like to go to the bazaar. With money being an issue for him, he can only afford with what he has. As the day goes by the boy is in a hurry to make it to the bazaar. It was already dark and he only had little time to waste before the place was going to close. He finds the place and notices that it's still open. With only six penny's he is limited to a certain amount of things to buy. Viewing his options on what he can not afford he realizes the vases, flowers and tea-sets are out of his affordability. He then encounters a paralysis where his inability to act is when he notices the objects in the bazaar are to expensive and he does not have enough money. As he walks out from the store he is unable to buy anything for her.

"Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger" (35). This is the boys epiphany, where a break through happens for him and realizes that he is unable to keep his word by buying something for her. He is now frustrated and mad because he has nothing to offer for her like he promised.


In "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas we see a similar epiphany to where the sons frustration is leading towards his fathers death. The son is having a break through because the son is trying to tell his dad to fight for his health and to not give up. The son is pleading and praying for his dads condition and realizes that his time to go is not yet ready for him. Furthermore, the sons paralysis is only to sit and wait for his dad to decide whether or not he gives up on himself.