A & P By John Updike Literary Techniques

“Feminism is not just about women; it's about letting all people lead fuller lives,” Jane Fonda. Fonda refers to feminism not only as an idea, but a way of life and amenable views. “A&P” by John Updike is a short story about three girls in a grocery store who are judged head to toe by multiple characters and speaker, Sammy, reflecting the idea that feminism is still not accepted. Updike uses literary devices, characters, and feminist views to show the objectification of women in the 1960’s. Generally speaking, Updike uses literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and symbolism to help the reader visualize what is going on. His use of metaphors begins the story with a negative view of a woman. “She's one of these cash-register-watchers,

This helps the reader visualize a sarcastic and frustrated cashier ringing up an impatient customer. Sammy refers to the customers as “sheep” in paragraph five because of their conformity and slow mosey throughout the store also making the three girls stick out more. In paragraph 2, Sammy refers to one of the girls as a “queen” using a direct metaphor as if she truly was a Queen. This reinforces Sammy’s observant mind and way he breaks down each girl. Whether his opinion was positive or negative, deducing women by their looks and staring at their chests, “this clean bare plane of the top of her chest down from the shoulder bones like a dented sheet of metal tilted in the light,”(3), does nothing but further supplement the idea that these three girls are being watched just because of their choice in attire. Updike also uses a plentiful amount of symbolism to support

Main character sammy is a witty, rude, immature boy who is driven by sexual characteristics of women. His masculinity is hindered when the three girls are kicked out and must feel like “their unsuspected hero” to them by quitting his job. Unfortunately, the girls don't stop. “Queenie” (5), is characterized as striking and confident. She's bold and the herring snacks implies she is rich. Sammy refers to her as the queen not only because of her teasing innocent looks, but because of the two other girls that follow behind her: the “chunky one” and a “tall one”(2). All three girls come in wearing nothing but bathing suits; not even wearing shoes. Stockesie was also immature and sexist. He was married but he was still young with two children of his own. McMahon, another male character, was a perverted old butcher who was “sizing up their joints”(11). The last male character is Lengel. Lingual is the manager of A&P and is a strict one at that. He is the main oppression to the three girls. He tries to stop them from buying their item, but fails to notice their attire until they reached check out. Lingual sparks anger in not only the girls by asking them to be “decently dressed”(17) but also Sammy domino effecting him to