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Sammy And The American Man Analysis

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“Sammy and the American man” Different stories have different characters. Even stories in the same topic, the main characters are very different. “Sammy” in “A&P” by John Updike and “the American man” in “Hills like white elephant” by Ernest Hemingway are totally different male character. Sammy wants to change his life and situation, and the American man does not want any change in his life; Sammy takes responsibility to what he did and said, the American man does not take his responsibility; from the beginning to the end, Sammy from keep silence to have some reactions, the American man still avoiding expressing his feelings. Firstly, this essay will show what are conflicts they are facing. Secondly, it will illustrate how they solve their …show more content…

At the beginning of the story, he describes a female customer “a witch about fifty with rough on her cheekbones and no eyebrows” (Updike 1). As a worker in supermarket, Sammy does the repeating and boring job everyday. He is a typical role of the “lost generation”. Sammy is looking forward to the beautiful things in daily life and wants a better life. He watches and describes three girls in details and uses beautiful words. Sammy’s description of girls is full of feminine beauty of aesthetic significance. Sammy is 19 years old. It is natural thing that he is interested about girls’ figures. His eager to a new life and beauty makes him finally do the regretful decision. His daydream is broke up at the end of the story, and he really could have a different life with before. The American man cannot accept the change in life. At the middle of the story, when he suddenly mentions about the abortion, the main conflict comes out. At this time, he is still trying to persuade Jig to forget about the baby. And from this part to almost the end of the story, they are discussing the abortion. And both of them do not express their true feeling. When they both lose patience, they do not talk to each other. And they separate waiting for the train. The American man does not change a

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