“A & P”

1. “A & P” by John Updike

2. A “theme” can be defined as a “comment about life” that an author expresses in a story. It is through the theme that most of us can relate to a story. Every Essay 1 probably will explain • a character or characters • a conflict • a resolution

3. John Updike’s comments on Sammy “I certainly see [Sammy] as a typical well-intentioned American male trying to find his way in the society and full of good impulses. I think that he quit his job on a good impulse. … A kind of feminist protest, in a way, is what he does here. Who knows what his adult life will bring, but I think for the moment he’s a boy who’s tried to reach out of his immediate environment toward something bigger and better” (Mays 443).

4. How would you describe Sammy as a character? What word or words describe him well? Why? Korndawg says,[Sammy] seems quite bored with his job shown by the little song he makes with the cash register. He is not sure of what he wants to do yet, this can be shown by at the beginning of the story he goes along with basically the town’s ideas and at the end of the story after he quit uncertain for the future.

5. How would you describe Sammy as a character? What word or words describe him well? Why? The A Team says,I would describe Sammy’s character as insecure or unconfident because it seems to me that he quit his job to impress the girls. He took something that was not a big deal, like making the girl blush and turning it into a scene by quitting.

6. How would you describe Sammy as a character? What word or words describe him well? Why? GB Incorporated says,Instinctive. He is a rash and young and naïve teenager. He quit his job over these girls without thinking of the consequences of his actions. “…my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter” (Mays 443). This reflects the young man learning a valuable lesson that he should’ve learned at a younger age, that reacting without thought is often unrewarding in the long run.

7. What types of conflict--person versus person, society, self, nature, and God/fate—do you think are in the story, and how are the conflicts shown? Korndawg says,Person vs person because Sammy has conversation with himself about the girls that walk into the store and intrigues him, most of the story takes place within his mind. Person vs society the girls walking into the store or Sammy’s end decision (Person) vs the towns ideals his parents/the town/Lengel (Society). Person vs self, Sammy’s internal struggle.

8. How would you describe the environment of the A & P grocery store where Sammy works? Korndawg says,It is small and does not ever change much. The same people always there and the never changing atmosphere as evidence by Sammy being able to name the whole aisle the girls go down. When the girls walked into the grocery store, the store was judgmental and awkward. The townspeople were unsure of how to react due to the sudden change in atmosphere.

9. How would you describe Sammy’s attitude toward the women in bathing suits? Besides finding them physically attractive, what else does Sammy like about them? The A Team says,Sammy’s attitude toward the three girls is him trying to be as dominant or uncaring as they are. He likes how the queen girl hold herself high as the other two girls follow her moves as well as the way she tries to seem uninterested and not notice any of the guys.

10. How would you describe Sammy’s attitude toward the women in bathing suits? Besides finding them physically attractive, what else does Sammy like about them? GB Incorporated says,He appeared to be attracted to the rebellious persona of the trio in regard to the social norm. Causing him to contribute his reaction without though to the incident. With the girls immediately catching his eye, they almost involuntarily cast a spell on him which results in the quitting of his job and blatant disregard for his or the store’s future.

11. How would you describe Sammy’s attitude toward the women in bathing suits? Besides finding them physically attractive, what else does Sammy like about them? Is Sammy sexist? Sammy thinks, “You never know for sure how girls’ minds work (do you really think it’s a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?)…” (441).

12. How would you describe Sammy’s attitude toward the women in bathing suits? Besides finding them physically attractive, what else does Sammy like about them? But does Sammy also look up to the women? Sammy calls the leader “Queenie.” Sammy thinks that Queenie comes from “a place from which the crowd that runs the A & P must look pretty crummy” (428).

13. A “theme” is the “comment about life” expressed in a story. It is through the theme that most of us can relate to a story. What does this story tell us about life? GB Incorporated says, The road less travelled by is more difficult than the road which leads to a more common practice. Occasionally this road can lead to massive reward, however, more frequently than not, leads to poor judgement and overall consumption of naïve ignorance.

14. One Possible Approach to the Story(just a suggestion for you!) • The grocery store represents boring conformity. • The three women in bathing suits represent rebellion and a better life. • The women inspire Sammy to take his own path in life. • “… my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter” (443).

15. Anything Else?

16. A final thought . . . Excellent work!