The idea of ​​love is very complex and can be interpreted in various ways. Both “The Things They Carried” by Tim O'Brien and “Araby” by James Joyce portray the lives of two individuals in love. “The Things They Carried” is about a young lieutenant named Jimmy Cross during the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Cross was unable to concentrate on the war due to his constant thoughts about the girl he loved, Martha. “Araby” is about a boy who is infatuated with a girl he has never had a conversation with. Although both the protagonists of "The Things They Carried" and "Araby" eventually realize that the girls they loved did not feel the same about them, Lieutenant Cross tried to move forward by destroying everything that reminded him of Martha, while the the boy from “Araby” was disappointed. For starters, both Lieutenant Cross and the boy in “Araby” showed a level of immaturity by behaving that way towards the girls they loved. In "The Things They Carried" Cross touched Martha's left knee while they were at the movies. He thought about that moment constantly and was completely obsessed. His obsession is evident in their story when he states, “Just then, he thought, he should do something brave. He should have carried her up the stairs to her room, tied her to the bed, and touched that left knee all night” (O'Brien 936). Misinterpreting such a simple gesture and turning it into a sexual fantasy demonstrates immaturity. In “Araby” the boy also portrayed a situation more than it actually was. When he finally spoke to the girl he was obsessed with, he interpreted the conversation the wrong way. She told him that she could not attend the bazaar because she had to go to a retreat. He replied “If I go, I… middle of paper… misunderstood by his infatuation with the girl and he becomes disappointed and dissatisfied. In conclusion, both stories show the idea of ​​love and how it can be interpreted. In "The Things They Carried" Lieutenant Cross fantasizes about a girl named Martha, who he loves but she does not feel the same about him. He finds it difficult to concentrate on his duties in the war because he constantly thinks about her she loves him like he loves her, she destroys everything he has about her. “Araby” a guy is infatuated with a girl he's never talked to, and when he finally does he's so excited he misinterprets the conversation. When his plan to get her to love him back doesn't go as planned, he doesn't try to move forward like Lieutenant Cross, but he's disappointed...