The following questions is based on your reading of "Araby"

Which detail in this passage from "Araby" is the strongest indicator of the boy's inner feelings?

I found myself in a big hall girdled at half its height by a gallery. Nearly all the stalls were closed and the greater part of the hall was in darkness.

a.

the hall's height

c.

the stalls

b.

the gallery that girdles the hall

d.

the hall's darkness

The correct answer is D. the hall's darkness.

Explanation:

The protagonist of the story is lost - he is torn between his imagination of a better life with Mangan's sister, somewhere far away from Dublin, and the reality of his poverty, dull life, and family who doesn't show him any affection or consideration. His feelings about his sad life are reflected in the description of the hall - it is dark, lifeless, colorless, completely dull, like his own life.

He is always striving for something better, something grander, which is why he goes to the exotic bazaar to get his loved one a gift. However, it is at the bazaar that he finally understands that there is no way out from his reality, which is when his illusions crumble.