Similarities Between Araby And A & P

Infatuation, though short-lived, can make one come to rash and hasty decisions. In the stories “A&P” by John Updike and “Araby” by James Joyce, we see this displayed between the protagonists, Sammy in “A&P” and the unnamed narrator of “Araby.” While each had similar interests and unexpected results with the female characters, Sammy and the unnamed narrator were set in different eras; therefore, had different perceptions of infatuation. The story “A&P” was set in modern time with the character, Sammy, being a checkout clerk in a grocery store. While working one day, three girls, who are not named other than nicknames given by Sammy, came into the store in nothing but bathing suits. Their lack of clothing and bare feet had Sammy taken from the moment they walked in by what seemed to be infatuation driven by sexuality. He made crude and disrespectful remarks in his mind and followed him with his eyes as they moved about the store, all the while growing more and more fond of them. When the store manager confronted the girls about their choice of clothing in the store, Sammy quit his job to defend the honor of the half-dressed girls that captivated his thoughts that day. His efforts to …show more content…
This story was set in a less modern time with insinuations of a more religious locale. The narrator’s infatuation seemed to more romantically driven rather than sexual. He talked about the way her dress moved when she walked, the curve of her neck, the feel of her name on his lips. These were feelings of deep adoration. The young woman spoke about being interested in an event, but was unable to attend because of her convent, so the narrator told her he would go for her and bring her back a token. Late to the event, he was not able to purchase anything he felt would satisfy or impress her, so he left empty-handed and