If a reader is given two short stories, two stories that are seemingly different
             on the surface, to read and compare and contrast, a surprising amount of
             similarities and differences can be found. Unless they deal with the same
             subject matter, most short stories aren't really related, until some analysis is
             The stories "A&P," by John Updike, and "An Ounce of Cure," by
             Alice Munro, are very similar but very different. One of the mot important
             similarities between these two stories is the problems the opposite sex
             "causes" for the main character. In "A&P," Sammy, the main character, quits
             his job because he thinks that his boss has mistreated and embarrassed three
             young ladies that were shopping in the store. In "An Ounce of Cure," the
             female main character's boyfriend dumps her and she responds by trying to
             overdose on aspirin, gets drunk, and loses almost all of her baby-sitting jobs.
             Another similarity between these two stories is the fact that they are set
             between thirty and forty years ago. This is very important to both stories. In
             "A&P," the young ladies wouldn't have been walking around in a store in
             their bathing suits, and they definitely wouldn't have been wearing a two
             piece bathing suit if this had been set any earlier. Also, Sammy probably
             wouldn't have quit his job just because his boss embarrassed a few young
             ladies. In "An Ounce of Care," the main character would have never thought
             about drinking at such a young age. Also, she wouldn't even have been in the
             situation if the story had been set earlier because she would have been
             forbidden to 2 date. These things have become more acceptable in recent
             times. The titles are also important to the stories. In "A&P," Sammy is a clerk
             at the local A&P and almost all of the action takes place inside the store. In
             "An Ounce of Cure," the main character and her mother have to use and
             ounce of cure to try and make up for the main ch...