Similarities Between Araby And A & P

There are many obvious similarities between James Joyce’s, "Araby” and John Updike’s, "A&P.” “Araby" and “A&P" are both short stories in which the central characters are in love with women who don t even know it. Both short stories discuss the theme of boys entering maturity and manhood with which each young man leaves the last stage of his adolescence and steps into adulthood. Both of the narrators of John Updike’s “A&P” and James Joyce’s “Araby” are young boys who experience disillusionment in their ideals.
In both "A&P” and “Araby”, the main characters are young men expressing interest in young women. Both stories are written in first person narrative, although we are never so personally introduced to the main character in “Araby”, whereas;
in "A&P", we know the main character is Sammy. In "A&P" we know the nicknames given the young women. In each story, the young men in the stories attempt to impress the young women by offering something they perceive to be of value to the women. In “Araby”, a trinket is promised; In “A&P”, Sammy defends the honor of the young women in relation to their bathing suit attire.
Both young men fail in their missions. The causes of both men's actions were the emotions they felt towards young women. Both acted hastily in speaking, failed to be who they envisioned themselves to be. The causes of their actions almost seem irrelevant. What becomes relevant is what awareness into themsleves they have gained.