John Updike A & P Analysis

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A Story of Growth
In John Updike’s story “A&P,” the character Sammy, a 19-year-old cashier, aims to impress three bold girls who walk into his store half dressed. However, while Sammy is intrigued by the girls, his boss Lengel is not happy with the girl’s attire. Sammy’s implied principles allow us, the readers, to relate to his situation. Sammy starts off as an immature, but well intentioned, teenager who finds growth through his childish ways. His blunt opinions towards customers and coworkers, along with his comments and reactions towards the girls reveal immaturities that eventually lead to surprising consequences.
Throughout the story Sammy mocks and ridicules nearly every customer in the store. However, Sammy does not stop with the customers; he even goes as …show more content…
The reason why Sammy may have quit is in hopes to impress the girls, and more specifically to impress Queenie. Sammy is hoping that the girls will overhear him telling Lengel he quits so that he can be seen as a hero. At this point Sammy seems to still be acting very childishly; however, it is here where he will find true growth and maturity. Even though the girls are gone with no sign of hearing Sammy quit, he still follows through with his decision when Lengel asks him to repeat himself. With this, we can conclude that Sammy is showing some sort of growth from his actions. Even though he knows life will be hard for him, he does not take back his choice. However, the real reason why Sammy quits is because he does not want to become another Lengel, or even a “sheep.” He sees how free the girls are and realizes that this is the way he wants to be. He does not want to be the dreary store manager that teaches Sunday school or the married twenty-two-year-old working as a cashier. Although Sammy does not think of this during the exact moment that he quits, I am certain that this is the thought that allows him to follow through with his

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