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What Is John Updike's Language In A & P

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The bible says that one should be slow to action and slow to speak because a person’s words can effect then indefinitely. Most are not proud of things that they have said because they are not able to bite their tongue when speaking to another person. Friendships, jobs, or other great opportunities can be lost as a result of a word or phrase not meant to be said. In A&P by John Updike the character of Sammy is a teenager working in a boring little story who has a day that changes his life because of things that he said, did, and considered. Although his actions, language, and thoughts are meant to be noble, they actually show the impulsive teenager he is. Updike first uses Sammy’s language throughout to story to exemplify how he says the first thing that comes to his mind. For example, he caused a lady to fuss at him and just said “I knowit made her day to trip me up” after she fusses at him(1). The slang in his speech comes out when someone “trips” him out because he may not be the brightest kid and just speaks off of …show more content…

Although he is reminded he will regret quitting his job Sammy does it anyway because he believes that “once you begin a gesture [it is] fatal not to go through with it”(5). He has prideful thoughts that cause him to have an I have to go through with this type of attitude although he knows that this attitude may harm him. To add, what Sammy thinks of some of the customers who come through the A&P show his way of thinking that burns into his character. He also thinks of a lady in the A&P store as a witch and people “would have burned her over in salem” during the trials(1). Sammy thinks mean things about a little old lady just because she fussed at him about a simple mistake. He should have taken a humble attitude with the lady instead of almost wishing a slow and painful death upon her. To conclude, Sammy has prideful thoughts because of his in the now type of

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