Similarities Between A & P And Araby

A common misconception is that the longer the literary piece, the more impactful it will be. Short stories can create powerful pieces based on common narrative models. A&P and Araby demonstrate the archetypal coming of age narrative. Although using emotional tones, singular characters, and unique settings distinct from each other, John Updike and James Joyce were able to provide the same fundamental plot.
Both short stories are placed in between the mid nineteenth century and early twentieth century. A&P is based in a grocery store “five miles from a beach, with a big summer colony out on the point, but [...] right in the middle of town” (463). John Updike sets a light hearted summer scene. In Araby, the setting is in the middle of winter. Night falls early and the cold air stings. James Joyce creates a very dank, somber

scene.

He describes the sky above as “the colour of ever-changing violet” (213). Sammy’s boss, lengel, argues with the girls that entered the A&P store. He states that their attire does not fit the stores code. Lengel is the main antagonist in the story from Sammy’s point of view. Although the young boy in Araby does not have a clear antagonist, it is evident that he is frustrated when the bazaar is closed.
A&P and Araby show the growth of their protagonists from boyhood to transitioning into adulthood. In A&P a young cashier, Sammy, catches sight of three girls entering the store after being at the beach. He spots out who he calls the queen of the three, the one that led the others. Sammy goes into detail about the girls’ appearance although he has never met them. He gains affection toward the girls, especially “Queenie”. In Araby, the unnamed young boy often plays with his friends in the streets. He begins to

notice his friend Mangan’s sister. Often, he watched her leave for school and followed close behind. He finds himself wanting to talk to her, but he has not built up the courage yet. He prefers to admire her from a distance. Sammy tries to defend the girls when his boss gets into an argument with them about their attire. He quits his job to impress the ladies with his valor, but they left the store and did not see his impulsive act. Sammy is left utterly disappointed, and without a job to support his family. He feels as if his “stomach kind of fell as [he] felt how hard the world was going to be to [him] hereafter”(467). In Araby, the boy traveled to the bazaar which Mangan’s sister has always longed to go to. He went at night, but was disappointed to find out every booth was closed. He “saw [him]self as a creature driven and derided by vanity:and [his] eyes burned with anguish and anger”(218) because he was not able to buy her a gift. Their actions were fruitless and they felt a type of defeat. Both boys are distracted by their affection toward the mysterious girls. Their logic is clouded by their desire to impress them. The Archetypal journey ends with a lesson discovered by the protagonist. Usually a disappointment, a let down.
John Updike and James Joyce are able to place the same message into a seemingly small story. At the end of the narrative, both young men are left with dissatisfaction about their lives. Sammy is abandoned without a job, and without meeting the girls he wanted to. The young boy who goes to the market called Araby, was left without a gift for Mangan’s sister. Both authors construct coming of age stories, distinct from each other, but showcasing the same archetypal journey of the progression of boys into adulthood and finishing with a let down.