Why does Joyce spend so much time developing the various settings in "Araby"?

The descriptions of the various settings in James Joyce’s “Araby” reflect the narrator’s emotional state at various points in the story. By the end, the reader understands how the narrator has changed because of the way the bazaar is described.
To illustrate this progression, let’s examine the first setting that is described, the narrator’s neighborhood. The narrator describes it as a “blind,” “quiet street” with houses that looked at one another with “brown, imperturbable faces.” North Richmond Street is an insular neighborhood where few people interact with one another, except for the school boys. This could indicate that the adults are isolated.
In the description of his house, the narrator focuses on the fact that a priest had died in one of the rooms. “Musty” air “hung in all the rooms,” and a “wild garden” existed behind the house with a lone tree and “straggling bushes.” His house is modest and old, which suggests his family doesn’t have much money. The narrator, however, still seems to like his house, even describing the fascinating old papers and books he has found.
The narrator then turns his focus to Mangan’s sister, an older girl with which he becomes infatuated. He describes the sights and sounds that enveloped him as he went “marketing” with his aunt on Saturday nights only to contrast them with his inner joy at the thought of Mangan’s sister. He explains that he thought of her “in places most hostile to romance,” such as these evening shopping trips. His obsession is best illustrated in the description of the “back drawing-room where the priest had died.” The narrator gazed out the broken windows, hearing the rain “impinge upon the earth” as he chants about love. Even in the saddest part of his house, the narrator is focused on his overwhelming love for Mangan’s sister.
When he finally goes to the bazaar at night, the tenor of the descriptions changes. By the time he arrives, “the greater part of the hall was in darkness” and there was a silence like one “which pervades a church after a service.” The solemn emptiness of the bazaar makes the narrator uneasy. As the last stalls close and the hall becomes completely dark, the narrator leaves empty-handed. The isolating mood of the bazaar has made the young narrator realize he is selfish and vain. The imagery of darkness and silence suggests that the narrator never should have come to the bazaar.
These detailed descriptions of setting reflect the narrator’s feelings about his surroundings and his life. By the end of the story, the narrator has learned a valuable lesson about adult life. The magic with which he previously viewed his neighborhood and house are now replaced with a sense of detachment and loneliness.