How I Met My Husband Analysis
Having to learn a life lesson is hard for all human to do, no matter how old they are. This is just what happens to the young adults in How I Met My Husband by Alice Munro and A&P by John Updike. The main characters, Sammy in A&P and Edie in How I Met My Husband, do just this. In these short stories, Munro and Updike use lust to Both of these short stories not only have young innocent teens who fall into the envy of lust, but they share many other similarities. Both stories seem to be set in the same time periods, mid 70’s to early 80’s. The main characters Edie and Sammy seem to be around the same age, Edie-15, “I was fifteen and away from home” (Munro, par 23) and Sammy- around 18. Another similarity with both stories is that the teens are working their summers away, and were very happy working until their love interests show up: Queenie in A&P and Chris Watters in How I Met My Husband. While the plots of these two stories are not exactly identical, the main events happen in a very similar
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order. When the teens’ new attractions enter the stories, Sammy and Edie both set into motion a lesson that changes their way of thinking an even their lives. But just as the teens believe love is on their sides, both stories introduce someone who will block the teens’ desired target. Sammy is block by Lengel, the store manager, who is kicking Queenie and her girlfriends out for wearing inappropriate clothing. For Edie, she is blocked by Alice Kelling, who claims to be Chris’ fiancé. There are similarities in the events that led up to Sammy and Edie’s big choice.
After Edie and Sammy have set their eyes on people who they thought were the loves of their lives, something happens. Sammy is waiting for Queenie, and her girlfriends, to be setting outside, and Edie is waiting for a letter from Chris, or Chis himself to show up. Another similarity in the stories is that someone is criticized. Edie hears an earful when she admits to being “intimate” with Chris and is called “filthy little rags” (Munro 199, par. 177). Queenie and her friends are instructed by Lengel to be “decently dressed” when going to the A&P (Updike 20, par. 16). “A & P” and “How I Met My Husband” have very similar structures and have similar themes. Many of the characters share common traits and both stories share the same setting of coming of age. While many may think that the two stories a very different, once the stories are closely analyzed, their similarities are quite
obvious.
order. When the teens’ new attractions enter the stories, Sammy and Edie both set into motion a lesson that changes their way of thinking an even their lives. But just as the teens believe love is on their sides, both stories introduce someone who will block the teens’ desired target. Sammy is block by Lengel, the store manager, who is kicking Queenie and her girlfriends out for wearing inappropriate clothing. For Edie, she is blocked by Alice Kelling, who claims to be Chris’ fiancé. There are similarities in the events that led up to Sammy and Edie’s big choice.
After Edie and Sammy have set their eyes on people who they thought were the loves of their lives, something happens. Sammy is waiting for Queenie, and her girlfriends, to be setting outside, and Edie is waiting for a letter from Chris, or Chis himself to show up. Another similarity in the stories is that someone is criticized. Edie hears an earful when she admits to being “intimate” with Chris and is called “filthy little rags” (Munro 199, par. 177). Queenie and her friends are instructed by Lengel to be “decently dressed” when going to the A&P (Updike 20, par. 16). “A & P” and “How I Met My Husband” have very similar structures and have similar themes. Many of the characters share common traits and both stories share the same setting of coming of age. While many may think that the two stories a very different, once the stories are closely analyzed, their similarities are quite
obvious.