Question

The narrator in James Joyce's "Araby" dreams of romance before he visits the bazaar. Which statement best describes his feelings as he leaves the bazaar?
1.He thinks of himself as a knight who has won a prize for his beloved lady.
2.He is grateful to have learned that he and Mangan's sister could never have had a happy life together.
3.He realizes that he has been so caught up in dreams that he has failed to recognize the simple joys of everyday life.
4.He feels foolish because his romantic dreams have been shattered, but he still longs to feel the enchantment Araby once had for him.

Answer 1

Although to me none of these options seem correct, I'd still choose 3. He realizes that he has been so caught up in dreams that he has failed to recognize the simple joys of everyday life.
This is the final sentence in Araby: "Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity, and my eyes burned with anguish and anger."
You can see here that he is definitely not happy about his experiences at the bazaar - he realizes some truths about life and is completely crushed after that realization.

Answer 2

He realizes that he has been so caught up in dreams that he has failed to recognize the simple joys of everyday life.