Essay 1
The story of “Araby” by Joyce and the story “A&P” by Updike share many characterizations that support a very similar theme. Both stories use the workers at the two stores as the back-drop for the main characters. In both stories the main characters do not want to be anything like their coworkers. The main character in “Araby” feels very disconnected and distant from his friends and co-workers. He also begins to have a crush on Mangan’s sister which only further detaches him emotionally from his friends. The same thing happens in “A&P” with the main character. Some young girls come into the store and he begins to form a crush on one of them. He gets very upset with Lengal for the way he treats the girls.