A&P

A&P In the classic short story “A & P”, John Updike portrays a pessimistic view of the role of the individual in society. The society he presents to the reader is one in which its citizens follow pre-determined rules, a set path, and similar habits. The individual has no role in this society, and any attempt to escape these set customs will result in shame. Well before the dramatic opportunity presents itself for Sammy, the protagonist, to quit his job, his narrative voice has established his individualism and imagination that already set him at odds with his job’s dull and boring regularity. However, the views that Updike presents in “A & P” are not out-dated and still have relevance to today’s society. The three girls entering the store in bathing suits, “walking against the usual traffic” (Updike, pg. 222), coming down the aisle, symbolize Sammy’s individualism. Because of the girls’ different appearance and behavior from the usual shoppers in the A & P, Sammy couldn’t help but stare. This type of dress was not part of the “A & P policy”, especially since “the women generally put on a shirt or shorts or something before they get out of the car A&P, john, updike, sammy, updike, society, pg, through, set, rules, girls, story, sammy’s, people, job’s, views, store, shoppers, sheep, presents, path, job, individual, following, find, description, world, while, view, usual, updike’s, today’s, three, should, routine, role, result, quit, policy, out, others, off, individualism, follows, follow, end, dull, customers, continuing, change, carts, before