Tuesday, May 5, 2020

A And P With Araby Essay Example For Students

A And P With Araby Essay John Updikes A ; P and James Joyces Araby share many of the same literarytraits. The primary focus of the two stories revolves around a young man who iscompelled to decipher the different between cruel reality and the fantasies ofromance that play in his head. That the man does, indeed, discover thedifference is what sets him off into emotional collapse. One of the mainsimilarities between the two stories is the fact that the main character, who isalso the protagonist, has built up incredible,yet unrealistic, expectations ofwomen, having focused upon one in particular towards which he places all hisunrequited affection. The expectation these men hold when finally face toface with their object of worship (Wells, 1993, p. 127) is what sends thefinal and crushing blow of reality: The rejection they suffer is far too greatfor them to bear. Updike is famous for taking other authors works and twistingthem so that they reflect a more contemporary flavor. While the story remainsthe same, the climate is singular only to Updike. This is the reason why thereare similarities as well as deviations from Joyces original piece. Plot, themeand detail are three of the most resembling aspects of the two stories over allother literary components; characteristic of both writers works, each renditionoffers its own unique perspective upon the young mans romantic infatuation. Notonly are descriptive phrases shared by both stories, but parallels occur witheach ending, as well (Doloff 113). What is even more telling of Updikesimitation of Joyces Araby is the fact that the A P title is hauntinglyclose in pronunciation to the original storys title. The theme of A ; P andAraby are so close to each other that the subtle differences might be somewhatimperceptible to the untrained eye. Both stories delve into the unstable psycheof a young man who is faced with one of lifes most difficult lessons: thatthings are not always as they appear to be. Telling the tale as a way of lookingback on his life, the protagonist allows the reader to follow his lifes lessonsas they are learned, imparting upon the audience all the emotional pain andsuffering endured for each one. The primary focal point is the young mans lovefor a completely unattainable girl who unknowingly riles the man into such asexual and emotional frenzy that he begins to confuse sexual impulses forthose of honor and chivalry (Wells, 1993, p. 127). It is this verysituation of self-deception upon which both stories concentrate that brings theyoung man to his emotional knees as he is forced to compensate for theemptiness and longing in the young boys life (Norris 309). As much asUpdikes rendition is different from Joyces original work, the two pieces areas closely related as any literary writings can be. Specifically addressingdetails, it can be argued that Updike missed no opportunity to fashion A Pas much after Araby as possible. For example, one aspect of womanhood thatfascinates and intrigues both young men is t he whiteness of the girls skin. This explicit detail is not to be taken lightly in either piece, for theimplication is integral to the other important story elements, particularly asthey deal with female obsession. Focusing upon the milky softness and thewhite curve of her neck(Joyce 32) demonstrates the overwhelming interestJoyces protagonist place in the more subtle features; as well, Updikescharacter is equally as enthralled by the sensuality of his ladys longwhite prima-donna legs (A P 188). One considerable differencebetween Updikes A P and Joyces Araby is the gap between the young mensages, with Updikes embarking upon his twenties while Joyces is of asignificantly more tender age. This divergence presents itself as one of themost instrumentally unique aspects separating the two stories, as it establishesa considerable variance between the age groups. The reader is more readily ableto accept the fact that the younger man has not yet gained the ability toascertain the complex differences between loves reality ; on the other hand, itis not as easy to apply this same understanding to Updikes older character, whoshould by all rights be significantly more familiar with the ways of the worldby that age. The lesson that romance and morality are antithetical,whether learned from haunting celibates or breathed in with the chastisingDublin air, has not been lost on the narrator (Coulthard 97). What doesnot escape either story, however, is the manner in which the young men aretransformed into distracted, agitated, disoriented (Wells, 1993, p. .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 , .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .postImageUrl , .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 , .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:hover , .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:visited , .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:active { border:0!important; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:active , .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140 .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9d6ed1d74143b02d16ab224d03a4b140:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: French Views of Slavery Essay127) versions of their former selves once they have become focused upon theirrespective objects of affection. Both have lost sight of what is importantwithin their lives, with the serious work of life (Joyce 32), to seewhat havoc their passion is wreaking. It is not important that everyone aroundthem notices the way they have withdrawn from reality; rather, they have bothcome under a spell of infatuation that pays no mind to anything but theirfixations (Wells, 1993). Despite their best efforts, neither young manultimately wins the heart or the attention of his respective loveinterest, which Updikes character asserts to be the sad part of thes tory (192). Their gallant rescue attempts aside, the two men are facedwith the grim and shattering reality that the girls have no desire for theircompany. This particular attention to plot is critical within the two stories,because it demonstrates how despair can be both disheartening and uplifting atthe same time. Updikes character has found himself holding a dollar bill thathe obtained from his lady love, to which he inwardly acknowledges it justhaving come from between the two smoothest scoops of vanilla I had everknown (193-94). The gifts each young man offered his love interest are notwell received; in fact, it is at this very moment in each story that the readerfeels the depths of each characters despair. While different in origination,the intent was the same, since both young men come from such diversebackgrounds; where Joyces Irish boy offers a material gesture, UpdikesAmerican character offers himself as a shield against any further antagonizinghis lady has endured. This cl early demonstrates the variance in bothmaterialistic values and the concepts of what is important to each young man. Toone, offering something tangible is far more worthwhile than anything else hecould present; to the other, however, extending his manliness far better suitshis attempts to win the girls heart. The storys closing moral turns onitself by concluding with a parabolic maneuver, by having the narrativeconsciousness turn itself into an allegorical figure (Norris 309). Nomatter their efforts, both young men fail miserably in their attempts to wootheir respective ladies. The similarities between the two stories with regard tothe manner in which each is conveyed to the reader speak of lifes lessons andthe sometimes painful road one is required to take in order to gain suchexperience. With images of chivalry and romance notwithstanding, both Updikes A P and Joyces Araby set forth to impart the many trials and tribulationsassociated with love. Expressions of emotions and thought s also showparallels, including the ending self-revelation and climax (Doloff 255). BibliographyCoulthard, A.R. Joyces Araby., The Explicator, vol. 52, (1994): Winter, pp.97(3). Doloff, Steven. Aspects of Miltons Paradise Lost inJames Joyces Araby., James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 33, (1995) : Fall, pp. 113(3). Doloff, Steven. Rousseau and the confessions of Araby.,James Joyce Quarterly, vol.33, (1996) : Winter, pp. 255(4). Joyce, James. Dubliners. (New York : Penguin, 1967). Norris, Margot. Blind streets andseeing houses: Arabys dim glass revisited., Studies in Short Fiction,vol. 32, (1995) : Summer, pp. 309(10). Updike, John. A P.Pigeon Feathers and Other Stories. (New York : Knopf, 1962). Wells, Walter. John Updikes A P: a return visit to Araby., Studies inShort Fiction, vol. 30, (1993) : Spring, pp. 127(7).

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