“A&P” is a famous short story by John Updike. This story was first appeared in the year 1961. Updike has portrayed the mindset of a young boy in a vivid manner. Some may interpret Sammy as impatient and immature while others interpret him as a young man who cannot tolerate any wrong. He appears to be a good natured boy of a kind heart in the story but there are other aspects of his personality that should be analyzed.
Thesis Statement: This paper intends to discuss How Sammy is portrayed in the story A&P, along with discussing other aspects of his character.
Some readers get an idea after reading the story that “Sammy is a good nature average boy” but this is not the solemn truth. Sammy appears as a desperate and visionless young boy who is more interested in girls rather than his job. He is from a poor family and also has several responsibilities on his shoulder but even then he does not care about his job. When Sammy sees girls in his store, he becomes senseless and even does not pay any attention to his employer’s advice (Christopher).
Sammy forgets all his responsibilities and quits his job without considering the consequences. He has no job and other means to feed his family but due to his behavior; he puts himself in a deep trouble. Sammy acts immaturely, and Updike portrays how this young boy acts in the rage when he is reprimanded by the old man who owns the store (Updike). There was a clear lack of decision taking capacity in a young boy. The portrayal of Sammy’s behavior by Updike is purposeful and ahead of times. The story was written in sixties, but it belongs to the twentieth century.
Works Cited
Christopher, Andrew. "Sammy’s Choice." n.d. facultystaff.vwc. 12 October 2014. <http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~cbellamy/dream%20child/Updike-%20Christ,Lantagne,Meiggs,Odem,Braca.htm>.
Updike, J. A & P: Lust in the Aisles. USA: Redpath Press, 1986.
