Final analytical Essay

Name Professor Course Date Pursuit of Happiness for Men Satisfaction is an important aspect of life for both men and women. The stories, The Swimmer by John Cheever, A&P by John Updike, and Araby by James Joyce demonstrates the struggles men go through from an early age to their forties trying to bring joy in their lives and the mistakes they are likely to make. My understanding of teenage years and right now as a young adult proves that our actions and thoughts are affected by this phenomenon. The story of the Swimmer is a clear evidence of the quest and the effects of making the wrong choices in family. Therefore, based on these stories and my personal life, every man irrespective of age searches for happiness and the choice determines quality of life. A & P by Updike demonstrates the reactions of a typical teenage boy, Sammy. The boy attempts to make sense of his world through extensive examination of people he respects. I empathize with Sammy because we are in the same age group. My transition from childhood to manhood has been tough. There is that internal longing for power and success which affects our senses. Sammy saw the girls the moment they walked into the store and ignored his work for a second. He analyzed their clothes, walking styles, and general posture. In my early teenage years, I had to fight really hard to avoid looking at girls in a suggestive manner. I came to accept that emotional and physical growth affected my perspective of life during puberty. Apart from this, the girls represented a theme which most young adults long for, non-conformity. Queenie comes out and defends their dress code by saying, “We are decent” (Updike 2).