Comparing Characters in A&P and Story of an Hour

stand for hopeless in the two stories.

In the A & P, Sammy is depicted as a character in transition. Transition is from childhood to adulthood. At the beginning of the story, Sammy is merely 19 years of age as he works in the grocery (Stearns 395). However, upon seeing the reaction upon the two girls, change is seen in his life. It is because of a circumstance that Sammy is changing from the life of childhood to maturity. Furthermore, Sammy does not desire to be a man who only works in a grocer for the entire time of his life. Though he fears his parents may have a negative reputation on him, he leaves the job as a support to the girls. In the other book, the story of an hour, Mrs Mallard is so afflicted and troubled in her heart because of the death of her husband. We see a change from a state of being a wife to being a widow. Again, as it is with Sammy, it is an unavoidable circumstance that lands Madam Mallard to a state of transition. The news were broken to her by Josephine her sister. She at once feared and wept in her sister’s arms, just as Sammy feared the consequences of destroying his reputation before his parents. Apparently, the two characters are depicted as people, who are able to withstand difficult moments and come out of them successfully. It is such a similarity between these characters to have the ability to stand for their hope even amidst troubles.

The story of Sammy quitting job is due to circumstances that could be avoided, while the issue of Mrs.

Mallard weeping and mourning could not be avoided, it was death that is usually inevitable (Stearns et al 400). This is a contrast. Therefore, the characters of these two books have both similarities and differences as described above.

Works cited

1. Chopin, Kate. The story of an hour. Blackstone Audio, 2013.
2. Stearns, Jennie, Jennifer A. Sandlin, and Jake Burdick. "Resistance on Aisle Three?: Exploring the Big Curriculum of Consumption and the (Im) Possibility of Resistance in John Updike’s “A&P”." Curriculum Inquiry 41.3 (2011): 394-415.