There are similarities between John Updike’s short story, "A&P" and James Joyce’s short story, "Araby." The characters and their situation they are going through are alike both guys are crushing over a girl. There are some differences in the settings though, they are in two different countries. In both short stories the boys are trying to be heroes and win the girls affection, which in the end doesn’t work for either guy. The main characters in "Araby" and "A&P” have similar traits. They are both young men fixated on young girls. In “A&P” Sammy is a very observant teenager who works at a grocery store. Who notices a group of girls walk in the store in just bikinis he pays attention to everything thing they do and how they are dressed down
