The Power of Desire
John Updike’s “A & P” depicts the thoughts that go through a young man’s head as a group of young, beautiful, bikini clad women enter the grocery store that he works at. Sammy and his colleague Stokesie gawk at the girls as they shop throughout the store. By chance, the group of girls go through Sammy’s checkout lane and they receive a lecture by the store manager, Lengel, because of their revealing clothing. Displeased by the manager’s treatment of the girls, Sammy impulsively quits his job in an effort to impress them. Sammy’s lustful view of the girls, disdainful attitude towards the customers, along with his reasoning for quitting his job, overall demonstrate his significant lack of maturity.
Sammy’s view of the group …show more content…
Lengel, the store manager, scolds the group of girls about his policy of wearing decent clothing in the store. Consequently, this upsets Sammy when he remarks that “policy is what the kingpins want” (443). To Sammy, Lengel is a power hungry tyrant for wanting people to be decently dressed in his business establishment. Sammy quickly retorts “’I quit’” in an effort to impress them as their “unsuspected hero” (443). To no avail however, as the girls continue walking on out as nothing ever happened. Interestingly, Sammy later accuses Lengel of embarrassing them and uses this accusation as his explanation for quitting. However, when he initially said the words “’I quit’” he tried to say it “quick enough for them to hear, hoping they’ll stop and watch [him] … their unsuspected hero” (443). Clearly he said it out of impulse, while he tried to explain it off to Lengel as a legitimate reason. Sammy is too embarrassed himself to tell the truth to Lengel that he was doing it to impress Queenie. Regardless, Lengel offers him a second chance: “Sammy, you don’t want to do this to your Mom and Dad” (444). However, Sammy deems the deed to be done and continues to walk out. Irresponsibly, Sammy chose pride over his employment. Had he exhibited more self-control, and a greater sense of maturity, he would still have his job. At the end of the story, Sammy remarks that he felt “how hard the world was going to be to [him] … hereafter” (444). His quick realization of his mistake suggests that he regrets quitting his job for such a senseless
John Updike’s “A & P” depicts the thoughts that go through a young man’s head as a group of young, beautiful, bikini clad women enter the grocery store that he works at. Sammy and his colleague Stokesie gawk at the girls as they shop throughout the store. By chance, the group of girls go through Sammy’s checkout lane and they receive a lecture by the store manager, Lengel, because of their revealing clothing. Displeased by the manager’s treatment of the girls, Sammy impulsively quits his job in an effort to impress them. Sammy’s lustful view of the girls, disdainful attitude towards the customers, along with his reasoning for quitting his job, overall demonstrate his significant lack of maturity.
Sammy’s view of the group …show more content…
Lengel, the store manager, scolds the group of girls about his policy of wearing decent clothing in the store. Consequently, this upsets Sammy when he remarks that “policy is what the kingpins want” (443). To Sammy, Lengel is a power hungry tyrant for wanting people to be decently dressed in his business establishment. Sammy quickly retorts “’I quit’” in an effort to impress them as their “unsuspected hero” (443). To no avail however, as the girls continue walking on out as nothing ever happened. Interestingly, Sammy later accuses Lengel of embarrassing them and uses this accusation as his explanation for quitting. However, when he initially said the words “’I quit’” he tried to say it “quick enough for them to hear, hoping they’ll stop and watch [him] … their unsuspected hero” (443). Clearly he said it out of impulse, while he tried to explain it off to Lengel as a legitimate reason. Sammy is too embarrassed himself to tell the truth to Lengel that he was doing it to impress Queenie. Regardless, Lengel offers him a second chance: “Sammy, you don’t want to do this to your Mom and Dad” (444). However, Sammy deems the deed to be done and continues to walk out. Irresponsibly, Sammy chose pride over his employment. Had he exhibited more self-control, and a greater sense of maturity, he would still have his job. At the end of the story, Sammy remarks that he felt “how hard the world was going to be to [him] … hereafter” (444). His quick realization of his mistake suggests that he regrets quitting his job for such a senseless