Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition.
There is no love. The story shows how the girl is only interested in the man because he represents an opportunity to escape, but is pulled back at the last moment, because of the uncertainty she feels for making a mistake by leaving with him because it means that she has decided to stay with him forever.
At last she spoke to me.
This shows how immature the main character is because he never starts the interaction with girls that he likes. This coupled with his initial reaction of confusion makes his love seem that much more authentic because he is acting flustered. It happens again with the shopkeeper girl at the end of the novel too.
I lingered before her stall, though I knew my stay was useless, to make my interest in her wares seem the more real.
His position towards women is revealed by his "linger", it is as if his youth is revealed by his perpetual and constant changing allure to things.
The light from the lamp opposite our door caught the white curve of her neck, lit up her hair that rested there and, falling, lit up the hand upon the railing. It fell over one side of her dress and caught the white border of a petticoat, just visible as she stood at ease.
The color white is connected to the lamp's light, maybe to signify purity since the light is connected to the white dress and her neck. This moment could also be a moment of sexual enlightenment, since it's also the first time he speaks to Magna and is the impetus for him to got to Araby.
I received this magnificent present quite at a loss to find words to thank my mistress with for the honour she had done me. To my great astonishment, it turned out, however, that the waistcoat was not an honour, but a bribe. My lady had discovered that I was getting old before I had discovered it myself, and she had come to my cottage to wheedle me (if I may use such an expression) into giving up my hard out-of-door work as bailiff, and taking my ease for the rest of my days as steward in the house.
This shows how much Miss Julia actually cares for Betteredge's well-being, since she treats him with care and compassion. And tries to lure him to do easier work, since he is both bruttish and too prideful to want to be comfortable.
After five years of misunderstandings on the stairs, it pleased an all-wise Providence to relieve us of each other by taking my wife.
Wishful thinking may have brought this together, since it seems as if both husband and wife are not happy with one another and simply stand one another. But the "all-wise Providence," or an all knowing, almighty God, doesn't fix their relationship, or cure their hardships instead, better judgement is to kill her and leave Betteredge a widow with a little girl to care for. It is interesting that his daughter's life is also leading to servitude in the same family, but with the potential to be made something more, like "Miss Rachel's own maid," the daughter of his own mistress.
Remember what Adam wanted when he was alone in the Garden of Eden; and if you don’t blame it in Adam, don’t blame it in me.
Desire? Lust? What exactly does he wish to gain from a woman besides companionship? Because Betteredge considers his patronages' relationship perfect, or something to look up to, then what does this mean for what Betteredge looks for in a partner for himself? Does he look for somone to rule, like Adam was given Eve as his wife, or as Sir John who chose a wife as someone to rule over him and make his decisions for him.