Coming of Age Experiences free essay sample

Compares coming-of-age experiences of short stories male protagonists. A by John Updike, First Confession by Frank OConnor The Sky Is Gray by Ernest Gaines. Three short stories, John Updikes A, Frank OConnors First Confession, and Ernest J. Gaines The Sky Is Gray, all deal with the coming of age of their young male protagonists. To one degree or another, the stories protagonists experience an initiation of sorts into the harsher realities of life. This study will discuss the similarities and differences of the coming of age experiences of the three protagonists. Sammy, the teenager in Updikes story, quits his job as a grocery store clerk as a sign of support for three girls who are insulted and demeaned by his boss, and as a result he recognizes how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter (Updike 67). James, the boy in Gaines story, accompanies his mother to the dentist, experiences a number of harsh realities about life, particularly about the prejudice and hardships faced by blacks in