A&P Short Story Essay "In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits" (Updike 430). The first sentence in John Updike's "A&P" introduces the three girls that will affect the main character, Sammy. The three girls play a big part in Sammy's final decision at the end of the story. Updike puts the three girls in bathing suits instead of regular attire to draw everyone's attention towards the girls, especially in a sexual way for Sammy. Sammy wouldn't have made the final decision to quit if the girls were in regular attire. If the girls were in regular attire Sammy wouldn't have been drawn to look at them and he wouldn't have seen all the symbols to show him he deserves more in life. The more Sammy looks and admires the girls,
…show more content…
A round character is someone who develops within the story and that is what Sammy does. First Sammy was just a hormonal teenager not thinking about his future and by the end of the story he realizes if he keeps doing what he is doing, he will become a sheep like everyone else. In the beginning, Sammy couldn't stop looking at Queenie, "The longer her neck was, the more of her there was"(431), but by the end of the story, Sammy realizes he deserves more in life, "I said I quit"(435). The two quotes from the story show how Sammy changes from the beginning to the end. At first, Sammy would never quit his job and by the end, he gets enough courage to quit so he wouldn't be stuck at A&P forever. Not only is Sammy a round character but he is also considered a dynamic character because of his changes in the course of the story. Another way Sammy changed is, in the beginning, he was becoming a sheep and by the end, he realized he did not want to become a sheep. When Sammy said “Fiddle-de-doo” (435) it shows Lengel, Sammy does not care anymore. Sammy showing he did not care anymore shows the reader Sammy is serious about changing his …show more content…
"She's one of these cash-register-watchers… she'd been watching cash registers for fifty years" (430). The quote indicates the customer does not have a life, the biggest part of her day was going to A&P and maybe catch someone mess up on the cash register. Lengel is also another sheep in A&P. "Scuttle into that door marked MANAGER behind which he hides all day when the girls touch his eye" (433). The example is important because it shows Lengel has nothing better to do but stay in his office. When the girls catch his eye he actually has something better to do than just stay in his office like he always does. The girls going in bathing suits is something that never happens, especially during the time period so it's exciting to say something to the girls. Now Queenie is the opposite of sheep, she is an example that there is more to life than A&P. "She was the queen. She kind of led them" (431). The quote shows the reader why her name is Queenie because she's a Queen. Queenie doesn't need the little things in life to interest her like the sheeps do. Sheep are people that have nothing better to do, so when Sammy sees someone who isn't a sheep it makes him want more to
A round character is someone who develops within the story and that is what Sammy does. First Sammy was just a hormonal teenager not thinking about his future and by the end of the story he realizes if he keeps doing what he is doing, he will become a sheep like everyone else. In the beginning, Sammy couldn't stop looking at Queenie, "The longer her neck was, the more of her there was"(431), but by the end of the story, Sammy realizes he deserves more in life, "I said I quit"(435). The two quotes from the story show how Sammy changes from the beginning to the end. At first, Sammy would never quit his job and by the end, he gets enough courage to quit so he wouldn't be stuck at A&P forever. Not only is Sammy a round character but he is also considered a dynamic character because of his changes in the course of the story. Another way Sammy changed is, in the beginning, he was becoming a sheep and by the end, he realized he did not want to become a sheep. When Sammy said “Fiddle-de-doo” (435) it shows Lengel, Sammy does not care anymore. Sammy showing he did not care anymore shows the reader Sammy is serious about changing his …show more content…
"She's one of these cash-register-watchers… she'd been watching cash registers for fifty years" (430). The quote indicates the customer does not have a life, the biggest part of her day was going to A&P and maybe catch someone mess up on the cash register. Lengel is also another sheep in A&P. "Scuttle into that door marked MANAGER behind which he hides all day when the girls touch his eye" (433). The example is important because it shows Lengel has nothing better to do but stay in his office. When the girls catch his eye he actually has something better to do than just stay in his office like he always does. The girls going in bathing suits is something that never happens, especially during the time period so it's exciting to say something to the girls. Now Queenie is the opposite of sheep, she is an example that there is more to life than A&P. "She was the queen. She kind of led them" (431). The quote shows the reader why her name is Queenie because she's a Queen. Queenie doesn't need the little things in life to interest her like the sheeps do. Sheep are people that have nothing better to do, so when Sammy sees someone who isn't a sheep it makes him want more to