Character Analysis Of A & P By John Updike

As the story begins we meet the protagonist, Sammy. Sammy, almost 19 years old, works as a cashier in the grocery chain A&P and possess a pair of keenly observation eyes. Induced by his young and rebellious mindset Sammy finds many faults with the world around him. He sees the world around him in a very bland light, from the women in the community being “women with six children and varicose veins” (Lawn 350) to the entire store being “like a pinball machine” (Lawn 351). But Sammy observations don’t stop at the social level, also describing the blandness of the store’s floor as a “checkboard green-and-cream rubber tile floor” (Lawn 350).

Sammy describes the manager of the local A&P store as someone who is “pretty dreary, teaches Sunday school and the rest, but he doesn 't miss that much” (Updike 3). Sammy thought Lengel as someone who is the very definition of a human being who prefers order over rebellion, being constantly engaged in prosaic activities and is attentive to his surroundings, as he is aware of everything that occurs within the store he manages. Perhaps in a way, Sammy envisions himself to be a more youthful version of his employer as he parades around the

Through the many stories in Cannery Row involving Mack and the boys, Steinbeck is able to portray Mack and the boys in different ways. Depending on the story and the reader’s interpretation, Mack and the boys can be viewed as a lazy or troublesome group of men or misunderstood misfits with good intentions. One can argue that Mack and the boys’ actions throughout Cannery Row are actions of those who are troublesome. Specifically at the start of Cannery Row, when readers are introduced to Mack. He comes into Lee Chong’s grocery store, and suddenly Lee Chong “stiffened” (9).

He works at a suburban grocery store (A&P) and judges every person that walks in. One day, when three girls walk in the A&P in nothing but bathing suits, he puts label after label on them in his head observing everything they do, “(do you really think it’s a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?)” (Updike, 1). Sammy thinks of himself as a superior to everyone else, even these girls that he’s practically obsessed with. His manager doesn’t think so highly of them.

An example of this is on page 29, and it says, “No. Mr. Wallace is the custodian, and he didn’t like me hanging around here, so he set up a new shop in the basement of the middle school. Plus, he likes to tipple. That means he likes to sneak a drink

Protagonist vs. Antagonist in Updike’s “A & P” The protagonist vs. the antagonist in John Updike’s story “A & P” is highly debatable. However, there is much reason to believe that Sammy is the protagonist and Lengel, Sammy’s boss, is the antagonist. Sammy is portrayed as the sweet and naïve boy next door.

Furthermore, two prominent themes Gaines implement throughout the story are self-respect and self- dignity. Because the story is in first person point of view, readers are expose to simple emotions, as James is too young to fully understand all the concepts Octavia is attempting to teach him. During the walk in the tempestuous weather James becomes hungry and cold. Entering the café specifically for colored people, James warms up by the heater and feels concern that his mother will spend money. Octavia approaches the counter to purchase food for James.

As said by Ronald E. McFarland, The incongruity of the common HiHo crackers and a luxury hors d'oeuvres like herring snacks anticipates one aspect of the hard lesson that Sammy will learn. Queenie's brand-name symbol represents a world completely alien to that of Sammy, who visualizes her parents and their stylish friends ‘picking up herring snacks on toothpicks off a big glass plate’ (Updike 1170). This brand-name vs. off-brand that is represented in “A&P” may be a way of Updike showing us that Sammy isn’t even on the same playing field as Queenie and the other girls.

Students. In “Consumerism Invades Education“ Simon Benlow is dumbfounded on why people are comparing the words “students” with “customers.” He portrays a customer with fast food, it is getting easier and easier. You use to have to look everything up while ordering, now you have the “meal deal.” Benlow states “We don't have to reflect, invent, or research,” talking about education, fast food, and many other things (140).

February 29, 2016 is when my best friend Cristal and I went to Walmart shopping center to do a little grocery shopping. As we were getting out the car and heading in, we noticed some employees on the side of the building that were taking a break, and these employees were men. As we continued to walk in, they started yelling “Hey ma, wassup” and us ignoring them, we had no clue that one of the guys were going to run up behind us. He tapped me on my shoulders and once again was like “Hey ma, wassup” and me being who I am I turned around and was like I am gay and this is my girlfriend please leave us alone. He instantly turned around while saying “oh my bad shawty” and we went on about our day.

He always has something to say about someone, judging people like an overseer of the store. Then mid way through the story Sammy starts to let the reader know how he feels about the other regular customers in the store. When he says, “The sheep pushing their carts down the aisle -- the girls were walking against the usual traffic”, showing that Sammy character is not on board with just following the rules of society that not everyone has to go the same way. After the girls get in trouble with the store manger and then get sent out of the store you can tell that Sammy is fed up with how things are going. He is working a job that he did not even apply for his self because his father got it for him.