Sucker By James Joyce Analysis - 2089 Words

Adolescence comes from the Latin verb adolescere which means to grow into maturity. In other words, it is the period in which an individual must establish a sense of personal identity. In the Carson McCullers’s story â€Å"Sucker† two young characters struggle with their transition to adulthood. The narrator Pete, is 16, and the older of the two boys by about three years. The stories action covers an extended flashback in which Pete reflects on his relationship with his cousin Sucker, who has lived with him since his â€Å"folks were killed in a wreck when he was a baby† (McCullers 2). Pete generally treats sucker poorly causing the latter to isolate himself, however, once the former falls for a girl named Maybelle their relationship changes.†¦show more content†¦In due of the fact that primarily, adolescent love is an attempt to arrive at a definition of one s identity by projecting their self image on another person. Adolescents are looking for self-af firmation in their partners, and Pete is no exception. He appears to learn nothing about Maybelle but much about himself. Pete finds that towards the conclusion of the relationship he is the only one involved. He has showered Maybelle with gifts and services, asking only for her affection in return. But his romance is never realized â€Å"I met her going to the drug store and asked for a date. She told me she was sick and tired of my being around and that she had never cared a rap about me. She said all that. I just stood there and didn t answer anything. I walked home very slowly† (McCullers 5). Furthermore, it is clear that to Pete, Maybelle is a purely physical entity in that, every description of her portrays only her beauty and indescribable perfection â€Å" ..her hands†¦are very little and white†¦It is impossible to describe† (McCullers 2). Similarly, in Araby, the narrator shares the same blind obsession with the idea of winning the love of a perfect woman. The boys infatuation with Mangan s sister drives him away from childhood towards adulthood. He breaks ties with childhood friends and luxuriates in his isolation. Like Pete he can think of nothing but how ecstatic she makes him feel, describing how his â€Å"body was like a harp and her words and