Comparing Updikes AP and Joyces Araby Essay - 1336 Words

Comparing Updikes A P and Joyces Araby John Updikes A P and James Joyces Araby share many of the same literary traits. The primary focus of the two stories revolves around a young man who is compelled to decipher the difference between cruel reality and the fantasies of romance that play in his head. That the man does, indeed, discover the difference is what sets him off into emotional collapse. One of the main similarities between the two stories is the fact that the main character, who is also the protagonist, has built up incredible, yet unrealistic, expectations of women, having focused upon one in particular towards which he places all his unrequited affection. The expectation these men hold when finally face†¦show more content†¦Both stories delve into the unstable psyche of a young man who is faced with one of lifes most difficult lessons: that things are not always as they appear to be. Telling the tale as a way of looking back on his life, the protagonist allows the reader to follow his lifes lessons as they are learned, imparting upon the audience all the emotional pain and suffering endured for each one. The primary focal point is the young mans love for a completely unattainable girl who unknowingly riles the man into such a sexual and emotional frenzy that he begins to confuse sexual impulses for those of honor and chivalry (Wells, 1993, p. 127). It is this very situation of self-deception upon which both stories concentrate that brings the young man to his emotional knees as he is forced to compensate for the emptiness and longing in the young boys life (Norris 309). As much as Updikes rendition is different from Joyces original work, the two pieces are as closely related as any literary writings can be. Specifically addressing details, it can be argued that Updike missed no opportunity to fashion A P as much after Araby as possible. For example, one aspect of womanhood that fascinates and intrigues both young men is the whiteness of the girls skin. This explicit detail is n ot to be taken lightly in either piece, for the implication is integral to the other important story elements, particularly as they deal with female obsession. FocusingShow MoreRelatedThe Stages of Maturation in James Joyce’s Araby John Updikes AP from the Authors Perspective902 Words   |  4 PagesWhen comparing the views of both James Joyce and John Updike on maturation from adolescence to adulthood it will be important to continually compare two of their similar works in Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† and Updike’s â€Å"AP†. James Joyce and John Updike follow similar views with the latter using Joyce as a foundation and following in similar footsteps; both authors follow a process of maturation based on the allure of love, while doing it at different stages of each of the protagonists’ lives resulting in similarRead MoreHow Cultural Expectations Affect Both Men And Women1264 Words   |  6 PagesDivergent series’ respectively, some autho rs take a more realistic approach. James Joyce’s unnamed narrator in his short story Araby and John Updike’s Sammy from AP are both affected by the gender roles in an unorthodox way that shows how cultural expectations affect both men and women. Both characters used the opposite sex as an escape from their current realities, but are disappointed in the end. In AP, John Updike’s character experiences firsthand the negative effect of society’s expectations of