The story describes a quiet street called North Richmond Street, where the Christian Brothers’ School releases the boys at a certain hour. There is an uninhabited house at the end of the street, and the other houses have a respectable appearance.
The previous tenant, a priest, died in the house, leaving behind musty air and old papers. The narrator finds some books, including one called “The Memoirs of Vidocq,” which he likes because the pages are yellow.
During winter, the days are short and the street becomes somber. The sky above is violet, and the street lamps provide feeble light. The narrator and his friends play in the street, running through dark lanes and encountering rough individuals. They also observe Mangan’s sister, whom the narrator is infatuated with. The narrator watches her every morning and follows her to school.
The narrator’s infatuation with Mangan’s sister consumes his thoughts, even in unlikely places. He longs to go to the bazaar called Araby and promise to bring her something if they go. The narrator becomes increasingly impatient with school and daydreams about the bazaar. He asks his uncle for money to go, but he forgets. Eventually, the narrator decides to go alone and takes a train to the bazaar.
Upon arriving at the bazaar, the narrator finds that most of the stalls are closed and the hall is dark. He briefly interacts with a young lady at a stall but leave empty-handed. As he walks through the bazaar, the narrator has an epiphany of the futility of his infatuation and feels anger and anguish.
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