In both stories, "A&P" by John Updike, and "Lust" by Susan Minot, the main characters are experiencing conflicted but transitional periods in their lives. Sammy, the main character in "A&P" has a happy, analytical and self-assured personality that will eventually help him quit his job. ... "I stood there with my hand on a box of HiHo crackers trying to remember if I rang it up or not" (Updike 606). ... Sammy realized the trouble he had caused himself, and now he would have plenty of time to think about his well-chosen decision of quitting his job at A&P as well as time to dream about "Queenie...

• Word Count: 1370
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School