Slavva Dobrolevska Ms. Jurinic ENG4U0 18 February 2023 Feminist Theory in A&P In the short story “A&P” by John Updike, women are negatively impacted by social norms showcasing feminist theory through the use of analogy/onomatopoeia, metaphor, and dramatic irony. In a patriarchal society women are typically seen as feeble-minded, whereas men are seen as intelligent. Sammy, a cashier working at A&P stated, “you never know for sure how girls' minds work (do you really think it's a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?)” (Updike 1). By blatantly disrespecting women, Sammy shows his sexist and objectifying mindset. In his statement he portrays women as irrational and incapable of having complex thoughts, thus reducing …show more content…
When Queenie was paying for her groceries, Sammy said, “I uncrease the bill, tenderly as you may imagine, it just having come from between the two smoothest scoops of vanilla I had ever known were there” (Updike 3). The use of innuendo emphasizes Sammy’s infatuation with Queenie, and objectifies her body in ways that are common in a patriarchal society. The metaphor conveys desirability and appeal; “smoothest scoops of vanilla” referring to her sweet and well rounded breasts (3). The emphasis on the male gaze shows how women are primarily valued for their appearance rather than for their character and values. By reducing women to their physical appearance, men are able to assert power over them and reinforce the ideologies of the patriarchy, therefore supporting the feminist criticism that women are exploited in various …show more content…
Due to his attraction to Queenie, Sammy stated, “the girls, and who'd blame them, are in a hurry to get out, so I say "I quit" to Lengel quick enough for them to hear, hoping they'll stop and watch me, their unsuspected hero” (Updike 3). During the early 1960s --when the story was written-- women were expected to dress modestly and behave more conservatively. By wearing bathing suits at the store, Queenie and her friends rebelled against social norms and challenged the conventional idea that women should not draw attention to themselves while in public. The disappointment Sammy expressed after the girls were berated by Lengel shows that he recognizes the pressure women face to conform to social expectations. Traditionally in literature, women are depicted as damsels in distress who are dainty and incapable of getting out of bad situations on their own. Society pushes this narrative to further instill the ideology that men have more power and are the superior sex. In the story, the power dynamic between men and women is clearly shown as Sammy believes that if he were to quit his job to stand up for Queenie, she would wait for him and look up to him as if he were her knight in shining armor. However, Sammy’s wish did not come true, and Queenie exited the store without batting an eye at him, displaying dramatic irony and challenging the ideologies of a patriarchal