Although I do not fully agree with
some of the messages that James Joyce's Araby
conveys, I would admit that it is crafted very well, for unlike many
stories today, “there is more to it than meets the eye”. I always
found allegories quite spectacular, for it transcends these mere
words into an idea that is indirectly, creatively, imaginatively, and
entertainingly told.
Araby uses a
coming-of-age short story to express his views on religion,
particularly the Roman Catholicism. He uses Mangan's sister to show
that the Church is manipulating and taking advantage of the people
only for its own benefit, when in the end, they will experience what
the narrator had – the 'epiphany' or the feeling of disappointment
and anguish after realizing that they were founding themselves on
false hopes.
I
will repeat that Araby
is very well-crafted and creative, and it truly deserves a title of
being good literature. However, I would not agree with the opinions
of the author. He expressed that this idea of religion or 'faith' is
there only to put you up high then let you go to fall hard on the
floor. Based on my personal experience and what close friends tell
me, yes, 'faith' does bring you down sometimes. Yet, unlike the
perspective of Joyce, things do not end there, unless you give up
easily. I think that's what faith really is about. The idea of faith
would become silly and pointless if it always assures happiness and
positive things. In terms of faith, there will be challenges, downs,
and even doubts, but that's part of the whole idea itself. Actually,
if you do not easily give up on 'faith', you can even experience yet
again another 'epiphany', but this time, instead of a negative one,
it is the one that will bring you back up from your first fall. And
that faith is what keeps me living because in this life, we will
always fall, we will always trip... But I always try to keep the
faith that I will somehow stand back up again. And that is what
religion is for me.
Yes, I know and
admit that my explanation's clarity and creativity is nowhere near to
the art of Araby, but I think I have made my point. I disagree but
appreciate the story and the message of the story. Yet, I would say
that in faith and religion, it will always be a matter of
perspective. It will always be up to us to see them in a negative
fashion, just like Joyce, or in a more optimistic way the way that I
do. And what's wrong in trying to be more positive even if it's not
sure, right? Saying 'no' does not make things unreal... So I would
say, let's take the leap of faith.
Let me end this short reflection with what this cute little puppy has to say:
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