In John Updike’s story “A&P”, the symbols represented are very essential as they are “given symbolic significance” which they have “meanings that go beyond its specific qualities and functions” (220). First, the bathing suits that the three girls wore were disregard with social rules of the small town and Queenie, one of the girls tend to use her superior position to win the argument with Legel. Most of the story is about the bathing suits as it really attracts others eyes because A&P shop is located quite far away from the sea as Legel said, “Girls, this isn’t the beach” (203). In order to support the theme which is the power of desire, Queenie replied him with sarcasm by saying, “We are decent” (203). Eventually, Legel
