In John Updike's short story "A & P", the protagonist, Sammy, is an adolescent boy whose roots come from the conservative and conventional small town working class, who dreams of branching out to the more elaborate, flashy and non-conformist life that he presumes the girls in swim suits live. ... Her father and the other men were standing around in ice-cream coats and bow ties and the women were in sandals picking up herring snacks on toothpicks off a big glass plate and they were all holding drinks the color of water with olives and sprigs of mint in them." (346) It's apparent that ...

• Word Count: 366
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

He wants to be part of the girls' world. ... Her father and all the other men were standing around in ice-cream coats and bow ties...When my parents have somebody over they get lemonade and if it's a real racy affair Schlitz in tall glasses with 'They'll Do It Every time' cartoons stenciled on." ... Lengel continues to harass the girls. "Girls, I don't want to argue with you. ... The wealthy girls ignore him. ...

• Word Count: 725
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

When they have a party, he says, they serve "lemonade and if it's a real racy affair Schlitz in tall glasses with 'They'll Do It Every Time' cartoons stenciled on" (299). ... But of them all, only Sammy enjoys the entertainment the girls bring. ... He even begins to feel sorry for the girls when everyone else stares at them lustfully. ... In retaliation, Sammy quits and walks out of the store, hoping to be a hero to the girls. ... He knows his grandmother would be proud of him for standing up for the girls. ...

• Word Count: 658
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

One day the boy gets to speak to the girl and agrees to buy her something from the bazaar as a desperate cry for attention from the girl. ... The boy then realizes he can not afford to buy anything for the girl he likes so much. ... And, in turn, he thinks about what he will be serving, if he stays at the A&P, "When my parents have somebody over they get lemonade and if it's a real racy affair Schlitz in tall glasses with "They"ll Do It Every Time" cartoons stenciled on." ... He quits his job using the girls merely as an excuse to get out. ... In both of these stories the main character...

• Word Count: 1043
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

After the girls exit, Sammy is left feeling "how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter" (Updike 17). ... Any fantasies that Sammy may have are cut short when Lengel appears to confront the girls about their dress code. ... When my parents have somebody over they get lemonade and if it's a real racy affair Schlitz in tall glasses with "They'll Do It Every Time" cartoons stencilled on (Updike 15). ... The girls ignore him, and he loses everything except himself in the end. ... Updike continues this humorous approach and view of Sammy until the girls le...

• Word Count: 1410
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

The staff of the market, likewise, can hardly believe it when these three girls traipse in. ... After the three girls have paraded through the store for three full pages, Mr. ... Lengel's remark to the girls -- "This isn't the beach" -- reinforces this. ... But his "sand dune" is the world of work, whereas the girls" is the world of play. ... He is standing up for the girls that his boss, Lengel, has insulted. ...

• Word Count: 1947
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School