"A&P"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the book "A&P" written by John Updike. The paper focuses on the character of Sammy, the protagonist of the story. The paper illustrates through Sammy's narration of the story, how he himself changes and grows by his changing characterization of the store's customers. The paper examines how the reader of this book can almost connect with Sammy in his exploration of new emotions and thoughts.

From the Paper:

"The normal or regular customers that seem to walk into the "A&P" grocery store are not so normal to Sammy, the third checkout clerk. To get an appeal to the everyday shopper "Updike carefully sets the action of "A&P" in a town just north of Boston and has his protagonist refer to a woman customer as a witch who would have been burned over in Salem" (Shaw 321). The reader knows that Salem is a famous Massachusetts village where the Puritans settled and hung women accused of being witches so naturally the comparison that Sammy makes of this woman customer is relevant. This information lets the reader know that the people in this town are probably of Puritan ancestry. So the men and women of the town are naturally a little stricter and more reserved people. Sammy might be feeling some repression on his part by his community and their old ways. Sammy being a young teenage boy sees the life of the city people on the point as luxurious, a life that he has probably never experienced himself. "

More papers on "A&P":

• Analytical Essay # 125348 : "A&P" and "Shiloh"
• Comparison Essay # 64503 : "A&P" and "Araby"
• Book Review # 146579 : "Reactions to Updike's Short Story - A&P"
• Analytical Essay # 1684 : "James Joyce's "Araby" and John Updike's "A&P"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: