A & P Group at eNotes

Sammy's attitude towards women is still shared by many men in our...

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:39:32 PST

Sammy's attitude towards women is still shared by many men in our society, especially when it can remain unspoken. It is unpopular these days, definitely, but the attitude is still credible. I'd say his mentioning that in the future the store might have a Russian name dates the story more than his perspective does, and in that way it works to add more texture and background to the story than to make it seem dated.

The last line of the short story is more mournful of reality than it...

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:30:14 PST

The last line of the short story is more mournful of reality than it is a new pragmatic view of it. It is centered around Sammy's feelings and perceptions of the forces acting upon him rather than an acknowledgement of how he would have to change to become a part of it, and this is an essential part of his character; he reacts more than he initiates. It would be interesting to compare this short story with "Araby" by James Joyce, which...

The main theme that runs through A & P is the idea of choices and...

Mon, 4 May 2009 14:01:46 PST

The main theme that runs through A & P is the idea of choices and consequences. There is also a commentary in the story about freedom and rules. Sammy works at a supermarket where he views all the people he sees as stupid sheep. He observes the activity in the store from a sarcastic, mocking tone. Everyone looks the same to Sammy except when the young girls come in wearing the bathing suits. "A few house-slaves in pin curlers...

In the Story "A&P" by John Updike, what is the theme being expressed...

Mon, 4 May 2009 10:05:48 PST

In the Story "A&P" by John Updike, what is the theme being expressed throughout the story?

I'm sorry, but only you can do this. What you need to do is try to get...

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:45:43 PST

I'm sorry, but only you can do this. What you need to do is try to get inside Queenie's head. Why is she wearing only a bathing suit? What were she and her friends planning to do? Does she notice how Sammy reacts when they walk in? What does she think of him? Is she flirting? What is she thinking as she pulls money out of her bathing suit top? Visit the links below for more info and help.

Yes, this story is dated. It is wonderful, and still worth reading, but...

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:58:03 PST

Yes, this story is dated. It is wonderful, and still worth reading, but it is definitely dated. The restlessness of the young narrator is, I'd argue, universal. Sammy's impulsive nature, his desire to have meaning in his life, even his need to take a stand/show off, are all universal. Even the power fantasy of the story is universal; who hasn't wanted to time a line as perfectly as Sammy tries to do when he says, "The girls, and who'd blame...

Is the story "A & P" dated?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:49:58 PST

Is the story "A & P" dated?

I need help re-writing "A & P" from Queenie's point of view using...

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:28:35 PST

I need help re-writing "A & P" from Queenie's point of view using conversation and first-person point of view.

What are the similarities and differences of the characters of Sammy...

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 12:54:09 PST

What are the similarities and differences of the characters of Sammy from "A&P", and the main character in "Greasy Lake"?

In A & P, Sammy is a store clerk, bored with his job, "He is a...

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:41:08 PST

In A & P, Sammy is a store clerk, bored with his job, "He is a checkout clerk at an A & P supermarket. His language indicates that, at age nineteen, he is both cynical and romantic." uninspired by life until a group of girls, who are only wearing bathing suits come into the store to shop. Instantly, Sammy is intrigued by the group of ruler breakers, the store prohibits shopping in bathing attire, they should not be in the store...

What are some of the struggles that Sammy faces in "A & P"?

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:09:30 PST

What are some of the struggles that Sammy faces in "A & P"?

Sammy, having quit his job on a whim to impress the girls who have come...

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:23:00 PST

Sammy, having quit his job on a whim to impress the girls who have come into the store improperly dressed, stands outside now, realizing that he has just made his life a lot harder. He has no job. If he does not want to follow the rules of the game, if he chooses to go his own way and opposes the standards, the rules that govern society, he will find himself on the outside all the time. Sammy has learned that choices have consequences. ...

Sammy has just realized that he lives in a world where heroism is often...

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 04:13:44 PST

Sammy has just realized that he lives in a world where heroism is often not rewarded nor even noticed. He has just quit his job in protest because the A & P's manager, Lengel, has chided three young girls for entering the store in their bathing suits. Sammy hopes to impress their beautiful leader, whom he calls "Queenie," but she does not notice his sacrifice. When Sammy emerges from the store after quitting, the girls have left, and back...

In the story's final sentence, what does Sammy mean when he says, "I...

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:41:47 PST

In the story's final sentence, what does Sammy mean when he says, "I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter"?

The comparison can be viewed in different ways. First it could be seen...

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:44:28 PST

The comparison can be viewed in different ways. First it could be seen as insulting to women, since alluding to a person as an insect is offensive. On the other hand, bees are valued animals. They are viewed as hard working, busy insects. They have a way of communication that no one has been able to decipher completely yet. This says that Sammy has at least a bit of an idea that women are complex creatures (despite his objectifying of them). ...

Sammy's decision, to quit his job in order to get the attention of the...

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 17:27:49 PST

Sammy's decision, to quit his job in order to get the attention of the girls who have been chastised by the manager from coming into the store improperly dressed. Sammy has learned a huge lesson, decisions have consequences. His rash decision to quit the store in a flurry of emotion fueled by hormones and a desire to draw the praise of the girls, to get noticed by the girls, appears to have failed. The girls leave the store and never even...

What is the significance of the final decision of the narrator in...

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 17:13:25 PST

What is the significance of the final decision of the narrator in A&P to quite his job?

When the girls first enter the supermarket, Sammy is supposed to be...

Sun, 8 Feb 2009 20:37:33 PST

When the girls first enter the supermarket, Sammy is supposed to be ringing up sales at the check-out counter. He allows all of his attention to be focused on "Queenie" and the girls. This shows that he is still very much a teenage boy and not a professional cashier. When the girls are reprimanded by the supermarket manager for their lack of attire, Sammy thinks he can change the mind of the manager. This shows that he misunderstands the...

What are some examples of Sammy's unsophistication?

Sun, 8 Feb 2009 16:20:53 PST

What are some examples of Sammy's unsophistication?

Sammy is trying to figure out how a girl's mind works. When these...

Tue, 3 Feb 2009 16:43:34 PST

Sammy is trying to figure out how a girl's mind works. When these three girls come into the store improperly dressed, or undressed, he is stunned with joy watching them walk around the store. His shock leads to a thought, how could anyone make such a rash choice, walking around in such a state of undress in public. In the 1960s there was a standard for young ladies, many of them wore hats and gloves when they were dressed. Most people...