Passions of the Young Mind
The Passion of the Young Mind
In John Updike’s short story, “A&P”, the main character Sammy seems like your average nineteen year old. However, upon further investigation, the reader can assume that he is more than just your average teenager working at a job that he despises. Updike uses words to construct a short story in which the importance of symbolism relates to Sammy’s somewhat impulsive decision of quitting his job at the A&P. The story begins in the 1960s, and the 1960’s, “were to some extent years of conformity, marching in step, and also years of sexual repression,” (Peltier). Thus, the story begins with “in walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits,” (Updike). Obviously this causes a problem because during the 1950’s and 1960’s women were not as liberated as they are now, so for three young girls to walk into the A&P in the middle of the day in the 1960’s would most assuredly cause a problem. The reader can assume that the bathing suits worn by the girls are symbolic of sexual desire and attention. The reader can note that “the three girls, especially queenie, are described in intimate and pleasurable detail,” (Uphaus) Women in the 1950’s and 1960’s were very conservatively dressed and were not to be considered desirable unless it was by their husbands. Even in the media, “married couples portrayed on television and movies had to have twin beds,” (Peltier).Everything was censored, and it was certainly uncommon for this type of behavior by three young girls. Sammy, the story’s narrator, is an intelligent, witty, observant young man that works for this conglomerate company, A&P, which he has a certain level of disdain for. Not only does he have disdain for the job at which he works, but he “routinely deals with customers for whom he has no respect,” (Thompson). He sees the customers as following a routine from which they are afraid to break apart from. When he first notices the girls in the
In John Updike’s short story, “A&P”, the main character Sammy seems like your average nineteen year old. However, upon further investigation, the reader can assume that he is more than just your average teenager working at a job that he despises. Updike uses words to construct a short story in which the importance of symbolism relates to Sammy’s somewhat impulsive decision of quitting his job at the A&P. The story begins in the 1960s, and the 1960’s, “were to some extent years of conformity, marching in step, and also years of sexual repression,” (Peltier). Thus, the story begins with “in walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits,” (Updike). Obviously this causes a problem because during the 1950’s and 1960’s women were not as liberated as they are now, so for three young girls to walk into the A&P in the middle of the day in the 1960’s would most assuredly cause a problem. The reader can assume that the bathing suits worn by the girls are symbolic of sexual desire and attention. The reader can note that “the three girls, especially queenie, are described in intimate and pleasurable detail,” (Uphaus) Women in the 1950’s and 1960’s were very conservatively dressed and were not to be considered desirable unless it was by their husbands. Even in the media, “married couples portrayed on television and movies had to have twin beds,” (Peltier).Everything was censored, and it was certainly uncommon for this type of behavior by three young girls. Sammy, the story’s narrator, is an intelligent, witty, observant young man that works for this conglomerate company, A&P, which he has a certain level of disdain for. Not only does he have disdain for the job at which he works, but he “routinely deals with customers for whom he has no respect,” (Thompson). He sees the customers as following a routine from which they are afraid to break apart from. When he first notices the girls in the