Comparison Of Personal Identity In James Joyce's 'Sucker'

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Originating from the Latin verb “adolescere”, adolescence is the period in which an individual develops personal identity and autonomy in the pursuit of comfortable affiliations, goals and convictions. Narrated by Pete; Carson McCullers’s story “Sucker” portrays how Pete and his cousin Sucker’s struggle to transition from childhood to adulthood. The story covers a flashback in which the narrator reflects on his relationship with his younger cousin, who has lived with him since his “folks were killed in a wreck when he was a baby” (McCullers 2). Pete treats Sucker with little respect causing the latter to isolate himself. However, once Pete falls for a girl named Maybelle their relationship changes allowing Pete to confide in Sucker and treat him as a brother. …show more content…

Consequently, Pete reverts to his mistreatment of his cousin, causing their relationship to deteriorate. On the other hand, James Joyce’s short story “Araby,” is about a young Catholic boy who becomes infatuated with a girl living across the street. When the young girl mentions her desire to attend a certain bazaar called Araby, he sees this as an opportunity to prove his love; by attending the bazaar himself and bringing her back a gift. Araby to the narrator represents excitement and a chance to prove his love, however, it fills neither of these expectations and instead the boy finds himself in utter disillusionment and despair. Similarly, both “Araby” and “Sucker” are narrated by a mature man reflecting on, how as a child he transitioned to adulthood. Both Joyce and McCullers portray a confused adolescent who struggles to discover their identity as they assimilate into the adult world. The adolescent is incapable of having an adult relationship yet desires one, idolizes others, and completes their transition to adulthood through an epiphany. The aforementioned conflicts are found in the adolescents of both

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