A & P Group

Question:

snapplesaregood
snapplesaregood
Student
High School - 11th Grade

In "A&P" by John Updike, what is Sammy's epiphany?

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Posted by snapplesaregood on Sunday August 31, 2008 at 8:28 PM and tagged with a & p, aampp, epiphany, sammy.

Answers:


  1. ms-mcgregor Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    At the end of the day, Sammy says,"I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter." The author, John Updike, is pointing out how ordinary events, such as the three girls being scolded for their appearance, can become important moments in growing up. Sammy discovers he will simply expect a grateful world and he is now ready for new experiences that will teach him even more about life.

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    Posted by ms-mcgregor on Sunday August 31, 2008 at 8:55 PM


  2. kwoo1213 Teacher
    College - Freshman

    Firs, we have to understand what an epiphany is.  An epiphany is a moment of enlightenment or understanding.  Sammy, in this story, works in the A & P grocery store.  He is a typical teenager in many ways: bored with his job, interested in girls, wanting attention, etc.  When a group of girls come into the store and are not treated well (in Sammy's eyes), Sammy makes a choice that leads to his epiphany.  He decides to confront his boss about his treatment of the girls, hoping to gain attention from the girls and be a "hero."  When he does, he is fired.  When he leaves the store after he is fired, he is hoping to find the girls outside, waiting to shower him with their thanks, but they are not there.  This is when Sammy realizes that he has made a mistake and that he has done something foolish and finally, that the world will be a difficult place for him from this point onward.

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    Posted by kwoo1213 on Sunday August 31, 2008 at 10:38 PM