Power Of Desire In John Updike's A & P

The Power of Desire When reading “A&P” by John Updike the story provides many visual descriptions of the three girls that walk into the store. By Updike describing the three girls through a young boy’s eyes it gives a sense of desire for a certain female character that Sammy, the main character, nicknames “Queenie” (Updike 3). By Sammy watching the three girls it sets the scene for the remainder of the short story. When reading the story Updike provides details that create an image in the readers head of how Sammy views the girls. A&P can teach the reader about the power of desire and the effects it has on both male and female characters.
As soon as Queenie and her two friends walk in to the A&P, they get the attention of the other customers and the male employees in the store. This is an example of the power of their sexuality that engages the opposite sex. However, Queenie attempts to hold herself like she and her friends are dressed appropriately for the store. While still being aware that everyone in the market is watching their every move. Queenie tries to show her two friends

When Lengel confronts the girls so directly about their behavior, and how they were dressed he ultimately degrades their power by embarrassing them. When they are so abruptly called out on their behavior it shows that they knew that what they were wearing was not appropriate attire for the small market. When Queenie responds to Lengel’s abrupt assumption of their decency she calmly answers back “We are decent” in an attempt to rebuild that power that was lost when they were embarrassed (). When Queenie replies so calmly is causes the reader to feel as though Lengel is the one who is in the wrong for so boisterously announcing their actions instead of quietly confronting the three girls of how they are