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A & P By John Updike

776 Words4 Pages

In “A&P,” a short story written by American author John Updike, the narration revolves around three young girls from families of wealth who seem to have no respect for the 1960’s society rules. Societal rules and norms often change as generations pass through. Norms in today’s time would be considered unacceptable 40 years ago as the norms then would be considered quite strange now. During the era of the 1960’s, Americans were accustomed to church- related ideas and older views meaning sexual restraint over sex and desire. In discussing the story “A&P” we will examine how different the wealthy society are treated over the working class, how youth and inexperience are presented , and why a strict puritanical society is more acceptable than freedom and expression in a time such as this. In the story three young girls walk into a A&P supermarket with only swimwear on resembling undergarments, with no coverings on to hide their bodies. Provocative clothing during this era appeared rebellious, inappropriate, and indecent. The manager of the store suggested that the building was not a beach and that while shopping the girls should cover their bodies. The leader of the group “Queenie” remarked that they were in fact not shopping but had only stopped by to pick up one item. Then she protested to the man that they were decently dressed when he suggested otherwise. Lengal the manager then realized he was in a losing battle seeing that the girls felt that their indecency was

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