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John Updike A & P Character Analysis Essay

1027 Words5 Pages

Sandesh Jagessar
Mrs. Marshall
ENG 2D-12
26 September 2014 A&P Adolescents. A time in one’s life where they never seem to know who they are, what they stand for, or what they should look forward to in the future. Sammy, the narrator, was in this position and he was faced with a tough decision. He could move onwards into adulthood or he could live his life in the past. In John Updike’s short story “A&P”, Sammy experiences a transition from adolescence to adulthood. After gaining knowledge to overcome his ignorance, overcoming his idealistic fantasies to making proper decisions, and thinking of others oppose to thinking of himself. First of all, Sammy works at an A&P grocery store. Over time he grew a custom to his manager Lengel and the everyday “sheep”; a term Sammy uses to …show more content…

Sammy was intrigued by the trio of girls because of their appearance. This factor made him feel curious and excited. In view of that fact, Sammy would become ignorant because he was interested in the girls for their appearance, and lacked any knowledge about who they were, and how they could affect him. When the girls were not around Sammy felt like “the whole store was a pinball machine and [he did not] know which tunnel the girls would come out of” (Updike 3). It was evident that Sammy’s interest had grown stronger. In addition to his growing interest he also studied and observed the trio. Finding out who their leader was; He described this girl as “Queenie” (Updike 2). The other two girls were “Big Tall Goony Goony” (Updike 4) who was described as a girl most girls want to be by Sammy and “Plaid” (Updike 4) who was described to attractive but was overshadowed by Queenie. Despite having a shallow first impression of the girls, Sammy studied and observed them. He then realized how unique the girls really were. In the way they entered the store in bathing suits, and

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