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John Updike The Slump Summary

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People only reflect on the past when they have a fire inside of them; otherwise, a shadow forms behind them. In John Updike's short story "The Slump," a man remembers his life before he began to feel trapped in a cycle while playing baseball. The man's life starts to unravel as a result of becoming so mentally disoriented. To help readers better understand the speaker's emotions and experiences, Updike uses a setting to illustrate the speaker's voice.

Reflexes are first and foremost learned movements that are memorized over time. The speaker keeps going back to the moment when his coach told him that his faulty reflexes were the reason he wasn't succeeding. But "a cloud... a sort of spiral vagueness" is what his mind looks like (Updike 1). Despite being aware that he is playing, the speaker doesn't seem to understand how to do so. He obsesses over what ifs and whens instead of letting his mind wander. …show more content…

He would always start the big butterflies by "grooving with radio rock" (Updike 2). The speaker's schedule before a game is used by the author to illustrate to readers the speaker's past and how drastically his life has changed. The speaker used to be enthusiastic about games and be familiar with his every move; however, now that the radio is turned down, he feels needles in his throat rather than butterflies. The theme of missing the past and wanting to move forward is illustrated by the speaker's writing about how she feels and

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The short story “A&P” by John Updike conveys themes about a free society and its unspoken rules of proper dress in public is the reason a free society like the one in the story can never achieve perfection. Updike conveys his message employing literary techniques and devices in his writing style to reveal author’s message through character development, character analysis, and conflict analysis. The author uses descriptive imagery and metaphors which help convey his messages about how a free society functions in a real situation which occurs in our everyday life. First, character analysis helps to develop the storyline. Updike is humorous and satirical method of character analysis helps to develop the author’s message.

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He was quiet as Pitch spoke, hands clenching into fists as he hung his head low. A feeling of dread washed over him as he faced the reality of his vulnerability near Pitch. Having him read his fears and proclaim them out loud when he himself were unable to, felt somewhat wrong. But despite it all, this didn 't hold as much bite as the first time it happened. To Jack, it felt like a rehash.

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In both John Updike’s “A&P” and Junot Diaz’s “How to Date a Brown girl, Black girl, White girl, or Halfie” the main narration of the stories comes from the perspective of two teenage boys, who also happened to be the stories main characters. The similarities in their subjective viewpoints is quite clear at times, and clearly influences their narration. The similarities of being too young man who are coming-of-age, unreliable at times, in the midst of puberty and developing sexually, and while trying to work against the norm when it comes to their expected behaviors. Both narrators are coming-of-age, young adult men in the midst of evolving into full adulthood. What makes them subjective and unreliable as narrators is the fact that the story is being told through a filter of their perspectives as young men in the world.

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467 Words | 2 Pages

“A&P” The article has a theme that can be significant to the reader regarding the characters actions and way of living. The theme explains how money can make two individuals think differently. The characters in the story were raised differently and did not have the same thinking process. A person being poor may not act or do the same deed as someone rich.

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1453 Words | 6 Pages

In John Updike’s short story “A&P,” Sammy is the narrator and cashier at the grocery story A&P. The author uses dynamic characters with immensely different personalities to portray conformity and rebellion in our society. Through out the story Sammy challenges conformity and social norms at his work place for personal reasons. Sammy is very bitter character and taken as a realist which fuels the story. Queenie, a rebel against conformity, sparks Sammy’s emotions after the way she is treated by his boss Langel when she walks into the grocery store with nothing but a bikini covering her skin.

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1437 Words | 6 Pages

Then he heard Sashas screams. He stopped, turned around, went back, He stared at the bus, mouth open.” This is an excellent example of the instant regret and internal conflict that precedes the actions taken by the individual that were so heavily influenced by the people around them. The description of Richard turning around and staring at the bus in an attempt to process the impact of his actions demonstrates not

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1094 Words | 5 Pages

A&P: The Perspective of Sammy “A&P” by John Updike tells the story of Sammy, a teenage boy working at a grocery store, when he sees three girls dressed in swimsuits enter. Quickly, Sammy becomes infatuated with the leading girl whom he dubs “Queenie”. Eventually, the girls are accosted by the manager for dressing inappropriately and Sammy quits in both an act of rebellion and wanting the appreciation of the girls. All throughout the story Sammy’s sarcastic and inquisitive nature comes out leading to a distinct voice and thought process the reader follows giving the reader a very opinionated view of all the characters and action in the story.

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Updike decides to throw the reader right into the story plot with no previous background knowledge about baseball or what professionals typically go through. The story begins: "They say reflexes, the coach says reflexes, even the papers now are saying reflexes, but I don't think it's the reflexes so much..." (Updike 1). Through the specific choices he makes in regards to diction, the author is able to create a realistic understanding of the pressure from not only oneself but their coaches, families, and peers. The decision of including jargon includes the very vivid description words that create imagery for someone reading this selection (who may not possess much baseball knowledge).

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255 Words | 2 Pages

John Updike's short story "A&P" is about a 19-year-old boy “Sammy” who is going through changes in his life, and has to make crucial decisions that are going to affect his job and his future in the long run. The story is set in an A&P grocery store, in a town north of Boston, and begins with Sammy’s description of the three girls that enter the store. Sammy decides to quit his job in order to impress the girl “Queenie.” Unfortunately, his gentlemanly act goes unnoticed by Queenie and her friends, and he has no choice but to face the consequences of his action. The author of the story clarifies that Sammy’s immaturity comes from his judgmental attitude, sexist beliefs, and disrespectful attitude.

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818 Words | 4 Pages

He contrasts his old memories with his new reality, which is far worse in comparison. "Now, I don't know, there's like a cloud around it, a sort of spiral vagueness. " Updike utilizes the imagery of the cloud surrounding the ball to the last example of the great detail he could see to further demonstrate the lack of concentration that he is now able to produce. Updike makes use of the imagery to further his separation between his past self and himself now in his

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894 Words | 4 Pages

Once something that had been a fantasy and only a dream, now turned into a nightmare, haunting Charlie, mentally exhausting him. “I’ve given up using the typewriter completely. My coordination is bad. I feel that I’m moving slower and slower. Had a terrible shock today.”

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The short story “A&P” by John Updike introduces us to a young teenager named Sammy who worked at the A&P grocery store looking to find his freedom. Throughout reading A&P, I 've noticed the main character Sammy had a very keen eye that spotted every minor detail. When Sammy saw the three teenage girls only wearing bathing suits enter the grocery store, he perceived the girls dressed as if they were going to the beach. Sammy explained to us in detail the different bathing suits that the girls were wearing and their physical appearances. The primary symbol represented in this story is the bathing suits worn by the three teenage girls.

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368 Words | 2 Pages

Discuss one of the following regarding John Updike's "A&P": Characterization, Setting, Theme. Sammy is the narrator of this story. He is an opinionated teenager who describes people shopping at the store as “sheep”. He believes everyone acts the same.

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“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.

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The narrator begins to change as Robert taught him to see beyond the surface of looking. The narrator feels enlightened and opens up to a new world of vision and imagination. This brief experience has a long lasting effect on the narrator. Being able to shut out everything around us allows an individual the ability to become focused on their relationships, intrapersonal well-being, and

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