A&P Questions and Answers

A&P

In John Updike's "A&P," notable literary devices include symbolism, such as the A&P store representing societal norms and conformity. Metaphors are used to compare the characters to elements...

10 educator answers

A&P

Sammy's description of the three girls in "A & P" reveals his lascivious and judgmental nature, as he objectifies and sexualizes them based on their physical attributes. However, his detailed...

2 educator answers

A&P

"Fiddle-de-doo" as it is used in "A&P" is an insult that means "big deal." Sammy uses it to deflect Lengel's assertion that the girls' lack of clothing has embarrassed the store and its workers.

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A&P

In "A&P," Sammy characterizes the customers as "sheep" to highlight their conformity and lack of individuality. This metaphor underscores his disdain for their unquestioning adherence to social...

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A&P

In John Updike's "A & P," the setting of the grocery store influences Sammy's actions and reactions by highlighting his discontent with the mundane environment, prompting his impulsive decision...

6 educator answers

A&P

In the story "A&P," Updike is successful in drawing Sammy's character in a few brief strokes, showing that Sammy is observant, imaginative, rash, impulsive, and longs for a better life. He is no...

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A&P

In "A&P," one could argue that Sammy did not make the right decision in quitting, because his decision didn't achieve the ends he'd hoped it would. He didn't get the attention of the girls, loses...

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A&P

Sammy's final decision in "A&P" to quit his job is driven by his desire to assert his individuality and protest the store’s treatment of the girls. However, his unreliability as a narrator, due...

4 educator answers

A&P

In John Updike's "A & P," Sammy, a nineteen-year-old cashier, is motivated by a desire to break free from societal norms and impress three girls who defy the store's dress code by wearing bathing...

3 educator answers

A&P

The antagonist in John Updike's short story "A&P" is the store manager, Lengel. He represents authority and conformity, reprimanding the three girls for their inappropriate attire in the grocery...

1 educator answer

A&P

John Updike's "A & P" offers rich themes for thesis development, focusing on Sammy's epiphany and the consequences of his impulsive decision to quit his job. This decision reflects the tension...

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A&P

Sammy's character in "A&P" can be seen as an anti-hero. While he makes a bold decision to quit his job in protest of how the girls are treated, his actions are driven more by personal...

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A&P

The last lines of "A & P" signify Sammy's realization of the consequences of his impulsive actions. After quitting his job in protest over Lengel's treatment of the girls, Sammy understands that...

2 educator answers

A&P

The customers in "A&P" serve as foils for Queenie and the girls. They are the dull, ordinary people that Sammy perceives himself stuck with, while the girls represent the exotic and desirable...

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A&P

In "A&P," the herring snacks symbolize the upper-class world that Sammy aspires to join.

1 educator answer

A&P

The narrator, Sammy, is a dynamic character. Initially, he is a typical teenage boy working a job he dislikes, motivated by a desire for recognition when he "defends" young girls in the store....

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A&P

Sammy compares the girls to bees because he is so confused about how a girl's mind works. He sees this lead girl, leading her followers like a Queen Bee, and wonders how her brain works.

1 educator answer

A&P

The exposition in "A&P" introduces the setting, an ordinary grocery store, and the main character, Sammy, a young cashier. It establishes the mundane environment and sets up the arrival of three...

4 educator answers

A&P

Updike demonstrates the difference in economic and social class between "Queenie" and Sammy through setting, appearance, and contrasting home lives. Upper-class Queenie definitely does not fit in the...

1 educator answer

A&P

Yes, there is foreshadowing in “A&P,” when Sammy hints how much he dislikes his store, the customers, and his coworkers. Portraying himself as being above ringing up sales as well as superior to...

1 educator answer

A&P

Queenie buys one jar of “Kingfish Fancy Herring Snacks in Pure Sour Cream” at the A&P. It soon becomes clear that this purchase is symbolic of her family’s elevated social and economic status.

1 educator answer

A&P

The point of dramatic conflict and crisis in "A&P" occurs when the protagonist, Sammy, decides to quit his job in a display of rebellion against the store's conservative management, who reprimand...

3 educator answers

A&P

In "A&P," the girls are treated as objects through the narrator Sammy's objectifying gaze. He focuses on their physical appearance, using terms like "can" and "scoops of vanilla" to describe...

2 educator answers

A&P

First person point of view allows us to see more than would have been possible from the perspective of a third party observer. The reader is able to see Sammy's monotony, his longing for something...

1 educator answer

A&P

Sammy seems indifferent to his job as grocery cashier in "A&P." His work day is tedious, except when punctuated by the diversion of pretty girls. He looks down on customers and coworkers. His...

2 educator answers

A&P

Sammy is fascinated by the three girls in "A&P" because they defy social norms by wearing bathing suits in the store, which is unusual and rebellious. He is particularly drawn to "Queenie," who...

2 educator answers

A&P

“A & P” is about a supermarket cashier named Sammy who quits his job when his boss tells three girls to leave because of how they’re dressed. Sammy hopes the girls will view him as a hero for...

1 educator answer

A&P

Queenie is a stock character in "A & P." She has little personality, and the story unfolds around her. We have no idea of her thoughts or feelings. However, she represents many values that are...

1 educator answer

A&P

The humor in "A&P" is primarily conveyed through Sammy's point of view, characterized by his easy, conversational teenage vocabulary. His use of slang and sarcastic remarks, especially when...

1 educator answer

A&P

Queenie's entrance in a bathing suit, along with the other girls, represents an act of rebellion or freedom.

1 educator answer

A&P

The overall message of "A & P" is a nuanced exploration of teenage individualism and the consequences of defying social norms. The story illustrates how the girls' and Sammy's actions reflect...

2 educator answers

A&P

The boys in A&P and Araby both have romanticized views of the girls they are in love with. They both imagine performing chivalrous actions on behalf of their beloveds. Sammy is more independent...

1 educator answer

A&P

I think Sammy is more appealing because he's doing something for the girls when Lengel isn't and I think that's a kind thing to do.

2 educator answers

A&P

In John Updike's "A&P," the realistic details that stand out include the mundane setting of the grocery store, the authentic dialogue among the characters, and the vivid descriptions of the...

6 educator answers

A&P

The main characters in this story are Sammy, the narrator, and Stokesie. Sammy is a part-time cashier at the local A&P grocery store. He has been working at this job for "two summers." Stokesie...

4 educator answers

A&P

The story would be interesting from Lengel's point of view because he is a fully-grown adult and has to work his job as a full-time career. I don't think Sammy's voice would be as interesting for the...

6 educator answers

A&P

The story contains several literary elements: a coming-of-age theme, as Sammy evolves from a bored teenager to someone who takes a stand; dialogue, providing insight into characters; irony, as...

1 educator answer

A&P

The "A&P" plot is linear, so it's not as complicated as other types of plots. The events are in chronological order, and they follow a normal pattern of rising action, climax/climax and falling...

2 educator answers

A&P

Ten years after the events, Sammy is likely to be involved in social movements, possibly embracing the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1960s. His rebellious decision to quit his job at A & P...

1 educator answer

A&P

The narrator notices that the barefoot girl who comes into the store with her two friends walks with a slight hesitation, as if she is not quite as self-assured in her surroundings as she acts.

1 educator answer

A&P

In "A&P," both Sammy and Lengel are observant and aware of social norms, but they differ significantly in age, experience, and reactions to the girls' attire. Sammy is captivated by the girls'...

2 educator answers

A&P

The manager reacts to the three rich girls wearing nothing but bathing suits to the A&P by embarrassing them. Lengel tells them that the store requires “decent” dress. Despite Queenie’s implied...

1 educator answer

A&P

"A&P" by John Updike is a short story exploring themes of individualism and consequences through the character Sammy, who impulsively quits his job to impress girls, realizing the difficulties of...

1 educator answer

A&P

Sammy's behavior in "A&P" by John Updike can be interpreted as sexist. His objectification of the girls and his condescending attitude towards them highlight underlying sexist tendencies....

1 educator answer

A&P

Some readers view "A&P" as offensively sexist due to Sammy's objectification and derogatory descriptions of women, highlighting a focus on their physical appearance. Sammy, along with other male...

4 educator answers

A&P

The conflict of "A&P" is a strong, serious conflict that forces the main character to grow up.

2 educator answers

A&P

Personification in "A&P" is used to enhance the story's imagery and emotional impact. The door "heaves" itself open, suggesting effort, while the sunshine "skates" on the asphalt, adding a...

1 educator answer

A&P

John Updike's "A & P" is written in the first-person point of view, narrated by the character Sammy. This perspective provides a subjective and emotionally involved account of events, focusing on...

2 educator answers

A&P

In "A & P," Sammy does not connect with the girls before quitting his job. His interaction is limited to observing them and feeling drawn to the lead girl, Queenie. Although he sympathizes with...

1 educator answer

A&P

The most obvious physical characteristics in "A & P" are the detailed descriptions of the girls who enter the supermarket in bathing suits. Sammy, the narrator, focuses on one girl in a plaid...

1 educator answer