Both the books "The first confession" written by O'Conner and the book " A&P" by John Updike reveal many characteristics about the characters inside them. Although Updike and O' Conner employ both direct and indirect characterization methods, they predominantly reveal their characters indirectly.
             Although most of the characterization is given indirectly O'Conner and Updike also describe their characters directly. In the beginning of the story, when Updike introduces the three girls (shoppers).We find out that they are "in nothing but bathing suits". We know that because O'Conner directly tells us "In walks theses three girls in nothing but bathing suits". In addition, we find that " Stokesie's married, with two babies chalked up on his fuselage already". We also learn that "Lengel's is pretty dreary, (and) teaches summer school" when Sammy describes his manager at a point in the story. O'Conner, like Updike, describes many characters directly. For instance when he introduces Jackie's grandmother who "was a real old country woman and quite unsatisfied to the life in town. She had a fat, wrinkled old face." One of the many descriptions that both authors give of the characters in their novels are seen above.
             Another method of revealing characters that Updike and O'Conner use is indirect characterization. Updike describes the shoppers in the A&P as monotonous people. Even if you " set off dynamite in an A&P people would buy and large keep reaching and checking oatmeal off their lists". Updike wants us to understand that Stokesies is less mature then a regular man who had kids normally is. " oh Daddy", "I feel so faint" illustrates the way he thinks. O'Conner uses the same method that Updike uses. He describes Nora while Nora is talking about her brother, Jackie. " Oh, G-d h...