In the short story, “A&P,” by John Updike, the author makes it clear that the interaction between the three girls, Sammy, and Lengel represents the feminist movement in America throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s. The three girls, who were dressed in their revealing bathing suits, represent the females who were actively protesting during the second wave of feminism. Moreover, Lengel, the conservative manager who attempts to publicly humiliate the three girls, represents the ruling patriarchy during the 1960’s and 1970’s. On the contrary, Sammy, the young male cashier who witnessed and reacted to Lengel’s mistreatment of the three girls, represents America’s change from a society of patriarchy to one that is socially equal for both genders in all…show more content… John Updike makes it very apparent that Lengel is very conservative by stating that the manager “teaches Sunday school” (Updike, “A&P”). Teaching Sunday school is a reference to the fact that the church is often reluctant to adapt to social change, and as a result, viewed as very conservative in nature. In addition, Updike makes it blatantly obvious that Lengel is a representation of the patriarchy of the 1960’s and 1970’s because he is the only person to attempt to isolate and humiliate the three girls in front of everyone, which characterizes other resisting males, and occasionally females, during the feminist movement of that time. On the same note, Updike gives more evidence that Lengel is the embodiment of the patriarchal resistance to the feminist movement when he declares to Sammy, “It was they who were embarrassing us” (Updike, “A&P”). Updike further explains Lengel’s representation of the patriarchy of the time with this powerful statement because he blamed the girls for embarrassing the store, rather than himself for instigating the conflict. Updike goes even further to emphasize Lengel’s representation of the patriarchy during the 1960’s and 1970’s by merely providing one outlier, Sammy, to dispute the manager’s…show more content… The three girls represent the active female protesters during that time through their confident attitudes and daunting appearances. Lengel embodies the existing American patriarchy through his conservative approach and his objection to the clothing of the three girls. Moreover, Sammy represents America’s eventual acceptance of feminism’s goals through his bold actions after the girls were shamed by Lengel. In closing, Updike wrote this story in order to illustrate his point of view on the second wave of the feminist movement, which was most likely in favor of women’s rights due to the rash actions of Sammy, the narrator and arguably most influential character in
