A Lone Battle In A & P, By John Updike

A Lone Battle
In "A&P" by John Updike, Lengel fights a losing battle against social changes. The character is shown to be hard-working, rational, and wise, but he remains unheeded by the next generation. The diminishing Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company foreshadows how American culture will change in Lengel 's town. He has already been fighting a rigorous battle with his branch of the company when the girls threaten his fragile business while it is at its weakest. They could scare off loyal customers with their nontraditional actions and ideals. In the fallout after his fight with the girls, he is gradually deserted by his fellow employees who have accepted their ideals. To realize Lengel 's motive for this battle, we must first understand …show more content…
Many people looked at both with respect. For both the store and Lengel have reached the pinnacle of what they can achieve in life, but they don 't realize it. As a responsible store manager, he would want to do his part to increase the growth of the company. Because he acts out of rational egoism, what Lengel values are revealed by his actions in catering to the stores more reliable costumers’ comfort above the business to ephemeral shoppers by trying to salvage his store’s reputation. In the story he, “comes in from haggling with a truck full of cabbages,” showing that he tries hard to stay competitive with contending stores despite the chain’s diminishing success. Much of Lengel 's actions orientate themselves around public appearances. Like many in his conservative community, he believes that everyone has a place and that they will become a bum if they do not do their part. He is not bothered by hard work, rather he endorses it. He does not promote his business towards the rich in the summer colony on the point. Five miles is not very far by car, yet he wastes the potential customers there, even going so far as shunning them …show more content…
What others see as a restrictive community, he sees as protective. His town is very conservative and religious oriented. Everyone knows everyone leading to greater accountability for each others actions. The community will band together to help anyone having a hard time. Unlike their boss, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company employees look at their place in society as a snare. They would love to have the freedom to live however they want, but they have been tied down by the traditional values of their community such as a job they do not care for and a family who subjects them to it. When they see the girls walking about not caring about how others see them, the townspeople are appalled at their lack of modesty, but the employees stop working to ogle at them. Sammy embraces this more liberal outlook of life drawn to its freedom. It is only after he rejects the towns culture, that he realizes he is alone. No one will back him up or help him. His new found freedom comes at a cost, but he remains undeterred. Sammy says Stokesie has only one difference from himself, "Stokesie 's married with two babies." It is likely that he will follow in Sammy 's footsteps perhaps, he will not going full on hippie but certainly align his ideals to more