Symbolism

             In both Updike's "A&P" and Joyce's "Araby," the themes that exist are dependent on the use of words and the interpretation of the symbolism. In "A&P," the bathing suit clad girls that Sammy envisions as living glamorous lives represents Sammy's longing for a more adventurous life, outside of his small beachside town. In "Araby," the boy's desire and eventual heartbreak at the unknowing hands of Mangan's sister is shown through the use of symbolism. Both stories thrive on the diction and interpretation of the symbolism present throughout.
             "A&P" starts off with three girls walking into a grocery store in nothing but their bathing suits. Soon after their entrance, they catch the eye of Sammy, a store clerk in the third check-out slot. Sammy follows the girls around the store with his eyes, describing them very thoroughly, even describing one the girl's "sweet broad soft-looking can, with those two crescents of white just under it." After following the girls up and down the aisles with their eyes, Sammy and Stokesie fool around saying, "Oh Daddy, I feel so faint," and, "Darling, hold me tight." Sammy then describes Stokesie as being no different than him, except being married, with two babies, and a few years difference in age. He then rebuts himself by sarcastically stating that he left out the fact that Stokesie thinks that he's going to be manager one day, which is a major difference between the two.
             Now, Sammy begins describing the town itself. "If you stand at our front doors you can see two banks and the Congregational church and the newspaper store and three real-estate offices." When Sammy describes the town it is evident at his desire to leave the small beach-side town. He states that the town is only five miles from the beach, yet many people in the town hadn't seen the ocean in twen...

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Symbolism. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 13:32, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/85028.html