A Deep Dive into John Updike’s “A&P”: A Story of Youth, Rebellion, and Awakening

John Updike’s short story “A&P” is a classic piece of American literature that continues to captivate readers decades after its publication in 1961. This seemingly simple tale of a young cashier’s rebellion against authority offers a wealth of insights into American society, youth culture, and the human condition.

In this post, we’ll explore the various elements that make “A&P” a compelling and enduring work of fiction.

Setting the Scene: The A&P Supermarket

A Snapshot of 1960s America

The story takes place in an A&P supermarket in a small New England town. This setting is crucial to understanding the story’s themes and conflicts. The A&P (short for “The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company”) was a chain of grocery stores that symbolized the standardization and conformity of post-World War II American consumer culture.

In the 1960s, supermarkets like A&P were more than just places to buy food. They were microcosms of society, reflecting the values, norms, and expectations of the time. The neat aisles, uniform products, and regimented checkout process all represented the order and predictability that characterized much of American life in this era.

The Clash of Cultures

Within this orderly environment, Updike introduces an element of disruption: three young girls who enter the store wearing nothing but bathing suits. This small act of nonconformity sets the stage for the story’s central conflict. The girls’ attire, while perfectly appropriate for the beach, is seen as scandalous and inappropriate in the context of the supermarket.

This clash between beach culture and supermarket culture represents a larger conflict between freedom and conformity, youth and authority, that was becoming increasingly prominent in 1960s America. By setting his story in this particular time and place, Updike creates a perfect backdrop for exploring these tensions.

Meet Sammy: Our Teenage Narrator

A Voice of Youth

The story is told from the perspective of Sammy, a 19-year-old cashier at the A&P. Updike’s choice to use a first-person narrator allows us to experience the events of the story through Sammy’s eyes, giving us insight into his thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

Sammy’s voice is distinctly youthful and informal. He uses slang and makes observations that reflect his age and inexperience. For example, he refers to one of the customers as a “witch” and describes the girls’ leader as a “queen.” This casual, sometimes irreverent tone helps to establish Sammy as a relatable and authentic teenage character.

Sammy’s Observations and Inner Thoughts

Through Sammy’s narration, we get a vivid picture of the other characters and the atmosphere in the store. His descriptions are often humorous and keenly observant. For instance, he notes how the “sheep” (his term for the regular customers) push their carts down the aisles, following the same patterns they always do.

Sammy’s inner thoughts reveal a young man who is bored with his job and frustrated with the monotony of his life. He’s critical of the customers and his coworkers, seeing himself as somehow different or superior. This attitude sets the stage for his later act of rebellion.

The Three Girls: Catalysts for Change

Queenie and Her Followers

The arrival of three girls in bathing suits is the event that sets the story in motion. Sammy is immediately captivated by them, particularly the leader whom he dubs “Queenie.” His descriptions of the girls are detailed and admiring, focusing on their physical appearances and the way they move through the store.

Updike uses these descriptions to show us Sammy’s perspective as a young man attracted to these girls. But he also uses them to highlight the contrast between the girls and the regular customers. The girls represent youth, freedom, and nonconformity in contrast to the “sheep” who dutifully follow the rules of proper supermarket behavior.

Symbols of Rebellion

The girls, particularly Queenie, serve as symbols of rebellion against societal norms. Their decision to wear bathing suits into the store is a small act of defiance against the unwritten rules of proper attire. This defiance is what ultimately leads to the conflict with the store manager, Lengel.

It’s important to note that while the girls’ actions spark the conflict, they themselves remain largely unaware of the impact they’re having. They’re simply going about their business, buying snacks for a beach outing. This obliviousness adds another layer to Updike’s exploration of youth and innocence.

Lengel: The Voice of Authority

The Manager’s Role

Lengel, the store manager, represents authority and the established order in the story. When he confronts the girls about their attire, he’s enforcing the societal norms that the A&P represents. His words to the girls – “This isn’t the beach” – encapsulate the conflict between the free-spirited world of youth and the rule-bound world of adulthood.

Lengel vs. Sammy

Lengel’s interaction with Sammy after the girls leave is crucial to understanding Sammy’s character development. When Sammy quits in protest, Lengel tries to talk him out of it, warning him that he’s going to regret his decision. This moment highlights the generational divide between Lengel and Sammy. Lengel, with his life experience, can see the potential consequences of Sammy’s impulsive action. Sammy, caught up in the moment and his own sense of righteousness, can’t or won’t consider these consequences.

The Climax: Sammy’s Decision

The Moment of Choice

The climax of the story comes when Sammy decides to quit his job in protest of Lengel’s treatment of the girls. This decision is the culmination of all the tensions that have been building throughout the story – between youth and authority, freedom and conformity, impulse and reason.

Sammy’s decision is impulsive and emotional. He’s not really thinking about the consequences of his actions. Instead, he’s caught up in the moment, imagining himself as a hero standing up for the girls (who, it’s worth noting, have already left the store and are unaware of his gesture).

The Aftermath

After quitting, Sammy walks out of the store, expecting to find the girls waiting for him. Instead, he finds an empty parking lot. This moment is crucial to understanding the story’s themes. Sammy’s grand gesture has gone unnoticed by those he was trying to impress. He’s left alone to face the consequences of his actions.

The story ends with Sammy’s realization that “the world is going to be hard to me hereafter.” This somber note suggests that Sammy’s impulsive act of rebellion may have long-lasting consequences. It’s a moment of growing up, of realizing that actions have consequences and that the world doesn’t always reward what we perceive as heroic gestures.

Themes in “A&P”

Coming of Age

One of the central themes in “A&P” is the process of coming of age. Sammy’s journey throughout the story represents the often difficult and confusing transition from adolescence to adulthood. His decision to quit his job, while impulsive, is also a assertion of his own values and beliefs. It’s a moment of claiming his independence, even if he doesn’t fully understand the implications of his actions.

The story captures the tension between the idealism of youth and the pragmatism of adulthood. Sammy’s gesture is idealistic – he wants to be a hero, to stand up for what he believes is right. Lengel, on the other hand, represents the adult world of compromise and practicality. The story doesn’t necessarily endorse one view over the other, but rather presents this tension as a fundamental part of growing up.

Conformity vs. Individuality

Another major theme in “A&P” is the conflict between conformity and individuality. The A&P supermarket, with its regimented aisles and routines, represents conformity. The regular customers, whom Sammy calls “sheep,” blindly follow the rules and expectations of society.

The three girls in their bathing suits, particularly Queenie, represent individuality and nonconformity. They disrupt the normal routines of the store simply by dressing differently. Sammy’s decision to quit aligns him with this spirit of nonconformity.

However, Updike complicates this theme by showing the potential consequences of nonconformity. Sammy’s stand for individuality leaves him alone and uncertain about his future. The story thus raises questions about the costs and benefits of standing out from the crowd.

The Power of Perspective

“A&P” is a masterclass in the use of perspective in storytelling. By telling the story through Sammy’s eyes, Updike allows us to see how Sammy’s perspective shapes his understanding of the events. For example, Sammy sees his act of quitting as heroic, but we as readers can see it as potentially foolish or short-sighted.

This use of perspective highlights how our view of the world is shaped by our experiences, biases, and desires. Sammy’s descriptions of the girls, the customers, and his coworkers all reveal as much about him as they do about the people he’s describing.

Social Class and Status

While not as overt as the other themes, issues of social class and status bubble under the surface of “A&P.” Sammy makes assumptions about Queenie’s social status based on her appearance and demeanor. He imagines her coming from a world of cocktail parties and sophisticated conversations, a world very different from his own working-class background.

These observations highlight the social divisions in American society and how they manifest even in a setting as mundane as a supermarket. Sammy’s fascination with Queenie is not just about physical attraction, but also about his perception of her higher social status.

Literary Techniques in “A&P”

Symbolism

Updike uses several symbols throughout the story to reinforce its themes:

1. The A&P store itself symbolizes conformity and the established social order.
2. The bathing suits worn by the girls symbolize freedom, youth, and nonconformity.
3. The sheep (Sammy’s term for the regular customers) symbolize blind adherence to social norms.

Imagery

The story is rich in vivid imagery that brings the scene to life. Sammy’s descriptions of the girls, particularly Queenie, are full of sensory details. For example, he describes Queenie’s shoulder straps slipping off her shoulders, the sun-bleached top of her bathing suit, and the way she walks “against the usual traffic” in the aisles.

This imagery not only helps us visualize the scene but also reinforces the story’s themes. The girls’ appearance and behavior stand out in stark contrast to the drab, orderly environment of the A&P.

Irony

Irony plays a significant role in “A&P.” The central irony of the story is that Sammy’s grand gesture of quitting his job goes completely unnoticed by the girls he’s trying to impress. His attempt to be a hero ends with him alone in the parking lot, facing an uncertain future.

There’s also situational irony in the fact that Sammy, in rebelling against the conformity represented by the A&P, ends up aligning himself with the very authority he’s rebelling against. By quitting, he’s enforcing the store’s policy just as Lengel did, even if his motivations are different.

Humor

Despite its serious themes, “A&P” is often quite funny. Much of the humor comes from Sammy’s sarcastic observations and clever turns of phrase. For example, he describes one customer as “one of these cash-register-watchers, a witch about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows, and I know it made her day to trip me up.”

This humor serves multiple purposes. It makes Sammy a more engaging narrator, it provides moments of levity in an otherwise tense situation, and it reinforces our understanding of Sammy’s youthful, somewhat rebellious perspective.

The Significance of “A&P” in American Literature

Capturing the 1960s Zeitgeist

“A&P” was published in 1961, right at the beginning of a decade that would see enormous social and cultural changes in America. The story captures the early rumblings of the youth rebellion that would come to define the 1960s. Sammy’s discontent with the status quo and his impulsive act of rebellion foreshadow the larger social movements that were on the horizon.

Influence on Short Story Writing

Updike’s style in “A&P” – with its first-person narration, colloquial language, and focus on everyday events – had a significant influence on American short story writing. The story demonstrates how seemingly small moments can reveal larger truths about society and human nature.

Enduring Relevance

While “A&P” is very much a product of its time, its themes continue to resonate with readers today. The conflict between individuality and conformity, the process of coming of age, and the consequences of our choices are all issues that remain relevant across generations.

Conclusion

John Updike’s “A&P” is a masterpiece of short fiction that packs a wealth of meaning into a brief tale. Through the eyes of Sammy, we experience a moment of rebellion and its immediate aftermath. But more than that, we’re invited to reflect on the societal norms we take for granted, the impulsiveness of youth, and the often painful process of growing up.

The story’s enduring popularity is a testament to Updike’s skill as a writer and his insight into human nature. By focusing on a single incident in a mundane setting, he illuminates universal truths about freedom, responsibility, and the search for identity. “A&P” continues to be read, studied, and discussed because it speaks to experiences and emotions that are fundamental to the human experience.

As we navigate our own lives, making choices and facing their consequences, we might do well to remember Sammy and his moment of defiance in the A&P. Whether we see his actions as foolish or admirable, his story reminds us of the complexity of human motivations and the often unexpected ways our decisions can shape our lives.

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FAQs about “A&P” by John Updike

1. Q: When was “A&P” published? A: “A&P” was first published in 1961 in The New Yorker magazine.
2. Q: What does A&P stand for? A: A&P stands for “The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company,” which was a chain of grocery stores in the United States.
3. Q: Why does Sammy quit his job? A: Sammy quits his job in protest after the store manager, Lengel, confronts three girls about their inappropriate attire (bathing suits) in the store.
4. Q: What is the significance of Sammy calling the customers “sheep”? A: Sammy’s use of “sheep” to describe the customers symbolizes their blind conformity to social norms and expectations.
5. Q: Why doesn’t Queenie notice Sammy’s gesture of quitting? A: The girls have already left the store by the time Sammy quits his job, which adds to the irony of his gesture going unnoticed.
6. Q: What does the story’s ending mean? A: The ending, where Sammy realizes “how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter,” suggests his growing awareness of the consequences of his actions and the challenges of adulthood.
7. Q: Is “A&P” based on a true story? A: While Updike may have drawn inspiration from real-life experiences, “A&P” is a work of fiction.
8. Q: What literary movement is “A&P” associated with? A: “A&P” is often associated with the realist movement in American literature, which focuses on depicting everyday life and ordinary people.
9. Q: Why is the story told from Sammy’s perspective? A: The first-person narration allows readers to experience Sammy’s thoughts and feelings directly, providing insight into his motivations and character.
10. Q: What does Queenie symbolize in the story? A: Queenie symbolizes nonconformity, youth, and a world beyond Sammy’s everyday experience. She serves as a catalyst for Sammy’s act of rebellion.