(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Analysis Of Sammy In "A&P"

            The story of "A & P" takes place in the 1960's in an average sized town in Massachusetts. It centers on a young man named Sammy who is partaking in a seemingly ordinary day of work when three young ladies walk into his store wearing only bathing suits. The girls intrigue Sammy and bring suspense and controversy to an otherwise dull scene in an A & P market. Sammy's opinion of the girls and the A & P go hand-in-hand, off setting each other, as he paints a black and white picture of a grocery store intruded upon by three wondrous strangers of vibrant color. The contrast illustrates the generation gap very effectively. The girls give Sammy an opportunity to express his typical 19-year-old mind-set and pessimistic views of his surroundings in an almost rebellious manner, exposing his desires for a more stimulating lifestyle. Sammy illustrates these outlooks in his portrayal of the girls, the customers, and lifestyle of the townspeople.
             Sammy's attitude towards the girls is that of any typical 19-year-old male. He is very critical of their bodies and takes close notice of their beauty as well as their flaws. He is especially drawn to the girl he refers to as "Queenie". He views her as the leader of the group and describes her in an admiring and lustful way calling her "more than pretty" and making a reference to "the two smoothest scoops of vanilla- her chest.
             Sammy's depictions of the girls are chauvinistic at times, which relays back to his being a lively young man. It is this intrigue with Queenie, borderline infatuation even, which ultimately determines the outcome of the story.
             His portrayal of the older customers illustrates the dogmatic routine of the townspeople and his contempt for them. Sammy refers to the customers as sheep, which indicates that he thinks they are mindless and unable to think for themselves. His descriptions of them give the story a dreary feel, which in due course clashes with the enthusiasm sparked by the three girls.


Essays Related to Analysis Of Sammy In "A&P"

1. A&P

In John Updike's "A&P," Sammy a nineteen year old checker at a local grocery store meets three bathing beauties who inadvertently end up affecting his entire life. ... Sammy indicates he is bored with his humdrum surroundings of the A&P. ... The A&P represents a life that Sammy recognizes he does not want, thus making the setting a contributing factor in Sammy's decision. ... He decides he wants more out of life than working at the A&P, competing for a manager position with Stokesie. ... Although Sammy realizes Lengel is probably correct in his analysis, thinking of the pretty g...

  • Word Count: 1283
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. A & P Updike

The A&P Chameleon In John Updike's "A&P", the main character Sammy, is developed through the use of setting. ... When Lengel mentions that the policy of the A&P is to have one's shoulders covered while shopping, Sammy notes "Policy is what the kingpins want. ... Finally, Sammy's character is revealed through his analysis of the young girls visiting the shop. ... Sammy watches them and waits for their next move, bewildered by them. ... They are attractive young girls that he would rather be spending his time with than working at the A&P. ...

  • Word Count: 940
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Short Story Analysis - A&P

Short Story Analysis 1 The short story titled "A & P" by John Updike can be broken down into a number of components which include; characters, setting, and the plot. ... The story consists of a young man, Sammy, working in a small town's grocery store on a warm summer afternoon. ... Three girls, described well by Updike, walk into the store and change Sammy's life. ... This is when Sammy transforms from the boy which his parents once controlled to the new man he becomes. Sammy tells his boss, Lengel, that he quits. ...

  • Word Count: 388
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

4. A&P - Literary Analysis

One can argue that in the short story, A&P, John Updike uses foreshadowing to hint towards the fact that it's expected for Sammy, the main character or protagonist, to quit his job by the end of the story. ... For example, "I bet you could set off dynamite in an A&P and the people would by and large keep reaching and checking oatmeal off their lists and muttering 'Let me see, there was a third thing, began with A, asparagus, no, ah, yes, applesauce!' ... " Sammy is bored of it all. ... The reader can interpret that Sammy believes himself to better than all them. ... ...

  • Word Count: 590
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Character Analysis - A&P by John Updike

In John Updike's short story, "A&P ", includes Sammy, the protagonists, Lengel, the store manager, three girls, who walk into the store wearing only bathing suits, and the local people who are as well shopping through the grocery store. ... Sammy in one way or another can be compared to an artist, as he first notices the beauty and exotic nature if the girls, rather than their contrast to what is expected of the people who enter A&P. ... Walking into the A&P with your straps down, I suppose it's the only kind if face you can have. ... The middle part of A&P "illuminates " youth as ...

  • Word Count: 2200
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Critical Analysis of John Updike's A&P

Sammy's descriptions of the A&P suggest rigid monotony and bland uniformity. ... Sammy wanted more than the seemingly "perfect" A&P life. ... The treatment of the girls by "the authority" of the A&P sparks something within Sammy. ... Sammy stands up for the girls in bikinis who wandered into the A&P for herring snacks. ... When Sammy rings up a "No Sale" and walks out the door of the A&P, Sammy leaves behind not only a job but a state of mind. ...

  • Word Count: 1193
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Store

Updike's "A & P" tells the story of a checkout boy, Sammy, who quits his job after his boss Mr. ... Sammy observes that the way Lengel insistently repeats this remark seems "as if it had occurred to him, and he had been thinking all these years the A & P was a big sand dune and he was the head lifeguard." ... The first-person narrator, Sammy, of John Updike's "A & P," would seem to present us with a simple explanation as to why he quits his job at the grocery store mentioned in the title. ... This is shown when he offers us a description of the A & P's location. Sammy states ...

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

8. Analysis of A&P by John Updike

John Updike's A & P is a vivid portrayal of the perils of growing up as seen through the eyes of a young grocery store clerk. ... Sammy's attention shifts to one girl in particular. ... Lengel's actions infuriate Sammy and he quits his job. Sammy must then face the real world. ... In the story Updike also uses the element of conflict between Sammy and Lengel. ...

  • Word Count: 465
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Promotion and Price Analysis Paper - Pepsi

For example, if he her she clicks on the sports section, Sammy Sosa immediately fills the screen in a mid home-run swing. ... An additional highlight on the page is a picture of a television, which viewers can click on, allowing them to watch the Jason Giambi and Sammy Sosa commercial. ... The product life cycle is divided into four major stages: market introduction, market growth, market maturity, and sales decline (Perreault, McCarthy, 2001, p. 270)."" ...

  • Word Count: 1657
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question