In the stories “Paul's Case” by Willa Carter and “Araby” by James Joyce, both protagonists are infatuated with the idea of ​​escaping routine reality conventional in their daily lives. Their main goal is to achieve a more romantic, extravagant and glamorous life. For Paul, the dream of a glamorous life lies in distant New York. The nameless protagonist of “Araby” hopes to find it again in Araby with the neighbor he barely knows. They believe that by achieving this escape, they will find the pleasure and satisfaction they were hoping for. Both protagonists dream of finding love in a world hostile to romance by escaping the reality in which they live. Paul in “Paul's Case” wanted to get away from reality and the hostile environment he faced. He was fed up with Pittsburgh and the middle class, Cordelia Street, where he lived. Although his mother had died, his family life was more normal than ever. This is one thing Paul hated, normality. At school he told other students false stories to try to make his life seem more interesting than theirs. This ultimately did not cause any of the other students like him, not even the teachers, to lash out at him. Paul was suspended from school, but he didn't care. He found an interest in music and art, even though he knew his father would not approve. Paul's father wanted him to be a businessman, have a normal family and have a normal life. Even though having a normal, ordinary life wasn't what Paul had in mind for his future. He dreamed much more and this made him believe that he would never gain his father's approval. When Paul's boss asked him to deposit some money for him, Paul took advantage of this opportunity. Instead of depositing all the money, Paul deposited only the check... in half paper... then returned home to his hostile environment, never escaping reality. Paul refused to give up on his dream and refused to return to reality. Instead of giving up his dream of a glamorous and extravagant life, Paul gave up his normal life and killed himself. Both Paul from "Paul's Case" and the unnamed boy from "Araby" were looking for a permanent escape from the reality they experienced. Each of them wanted a life full of glamour, romance and luxury. Above all, they wanted a life far from the ordinary. Both protagonists failed to achieve this lifestyle. How they dealt with their failure is the main thing that separates them. The main concept that ties these incredible tales together is that neither of them managed to realize their dream. They wanted a permanent escape, which neither of them was capable of achieving.