Character Analysis Of A P By John Updike - 1141 Words

The narrative â€Å"AP† by John Updike explicitly takes you into the world of the main character, Sammy. When you first meet Sammy, it seems as though he gives the reader a straightforward explanation as to why he quits his job at the grocery store. He even goes as far as to blame his actions on how Lengel, the manager, embarrassed the girls in the store. Upon Sammy defending the girls, he refers to himself as their â€Å"unsuspected hero†, however some may not see this as fit. Upon closer examination, it does not seem as though Sammy quit as a defense mechanism for the girls, but for his own selfish ambitions and possibly as an authoritative maneuver. The question being, is Sammy exemplifying the characteristics of selflessness or is he a selfish†¦show more content†¦He begins by informing them that the store is in fact not the beach. Lengel continues to chastise the girls to the point of which he embarrassed them enough that they proceed to walk out. At this point, Sammy has had enough. â€Å"The girls, and whod blame them, are in a hurry to get out, so I say I quit to Lengel† (Updike, pg. 35). Lengel questions Sammy and his reasoning behind his abrupt action. You didnt have to embarrass them (Updike pg. 36) he protests as he quits. â€Å"By quitting his job and telling off his boss, Lengel, for how rude he was to the girls, Sammy experiences a coming of age. Its his first real taste of the power of standing up for what he believes in† (Shmoop). Sammy’s selflessness prevails over the situation as he accentuates the fact that Lengel did not have to be so rash. Sammy did what his inner â€Å"unsuspected hero† would have done. In another aspect, Sammy’s abrupt action of quitting can be seen as a selfish act. â€Å"so I say ‘I quit’ to Lengel quick enough for them to hear, hoping theyll stop and watch me, their unsuspected hero† (Updike pg. 35). Sammy’s actions were all self-centered; â€Å"he announces, ‘I quit’ primarily because he wants the girls to overhear him, and the gesture loses resonance when he realizes they didn’t notice it. It seems less wise when he is left not with admiration but with a vague guilt and doubt about his rash action† (Sparknotes). He had a high hope that his rebellion towardShow MoreRelatedA P By John Updike Character Analysis818 Words   |  4 Pages This story could make one wonder, how far would you go to get the person of your dreams. In Updike’s story, three young ladies walk into the AP store wearing nothing but bathing suits. The girls catch the attention of Sammy who is the cashier. Sammy watches the girls walk around the store while making mental notes about each one of the girls. When Mr. Lengel the store manager sees the girls, he lets them know that the store policy is to have your shoulders covered and to dress appropriately whenRead MoreA P By John Updike1190 Words   |  5 PagesA P is a story of Sammy who is a 19 year old boy working as a clerk at a grocery store in a small town in New England. Published back in 1961 narrative defining A P is the popular mythology of 1960s basically where youthful rebellion powers took over the soulless system. (Sustana) Therefore Updike has written a story that includes key elements of myth along with the background of postwar prosperity and the attendant consumer cultu re. Where there is a strong hint of the Cold War as hero characterRead MoreAP and Cathedral Comparison Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesMallory Russell 06/12/15 Comparison Essay ENG 102 Online â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver versus â€Å"A + P† by John Updike In the short stories â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver and â€Å"A + P† by John Updike the protagonists experience an epiphany that change their restricted way of thinking. The main character, â€Å"Sammy† in John Updike’s, â€Å"A + P† is a teenage boy working in the town grocery store. Sammy experiences an epiphany when he decides to quit his job at the grocery store. He quit because he believedRead MoreThe Revolution of The Young People: John Updike Essay1193 Words   |  5 PagesIn John Updike’s â€Å"AP†, the revolution of the young people of the current age against authority is explored and explained. â€Å"AP† reveals the shift from conservative and deferential to avant-garde and disrespectful. Through the observation of the behavior of the characters in the story, one can receive a clear picture of the evolution of the sexual revolution that has come in this age. Sammy is the first character that is introduced, he is the protagonist and narrator of the story. Stoksie and LengelRead MoreA P By John Updike1441 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Updike is considered one of the greatest writers in modern American history. He is known for the idea that seemingly ordinary aspects of American life are actually quite fascinating. He wanted readers to see the beauty and magic of life, so he tried to describe everyday things using the most clear but beautiful language possible. Many of Updike’s pieces are drawn from his own life such as his marriage and his boyhood, as shown in three of his short stories: â€Å"AP†, â€Å"Ace in the Hole†, and â€Å"PigeonRead More The Decline of Chivalry Explored in Araby and AP Essay1211 Words   |  5 Pagesdiminished. In James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† and John Updike’s â€Å"AP†, this theory is explored, both telling the story of a boy whose efforts to impress the girl of their desires fail. As said by Well’s in his crit ical analysis of these stories, â€Å"Both the protagonists have come to realize that romantic gestures—in fact, that the whole chivalric view [sic] --- are, in modern times, counterproductive†. These stories, despite the differences between the two characters, clearly show that the character’s worldRead MoreRaymond Carver with Cathedral and John Updike with AP979 Words   |  4 PagesCarver with â€Å"Cathedral† and John Updike with â€Å"AP† â€Å"Cathedral† and AP both short stories written during the same century. But even though they both introduce stereotypical characters that somehow change their view of the world, they have many more different aspects. The stories differ in atmosphere and the quantity of people involve in each story. The story â€Å"Cathedral† only took place in a family house with only the husband, wife who can be qualified as a static character tried to kill herself inRead MoreComparing AP and An Ounce of Cure Essay601 Words   |  3 PagesComparing AP and An Ounce of Cure If a reader is given two short stories, two stories that are seemingly different on the surface, to read and compare and contrast, a surprising amount of similarities and differences can be found. Unless they deal with the same subject matter, most short stories arent really related, until some analysis is done. The stories AP, by John Updike, and An Ounce of Cure, by Alice Munro, are very similar but very different. One of the mot important similaritiesRead MoreAnne Lamott’S Great Wisdom On How To Write Shares Many1905 Words   |  8 Pagesa changing character/characters, there are countless of fiction stories that do not share these common steps introduced by Lamott. These fictions may include tight structures of one single step. Nevertheless, I agree with Anne Lamott’s thoughts that â€Å"a story’s climactic event should show a profound change in at least one of the characters.†In this essay, there will be comparisons and analysis between Anne Lamott’s wide descriptions about writings and two short stories by John Updike and Gail GodwinRead MoreCharacter Analysis Sammy1030 Words   |  5 PagesCharacter Analysis Sammy Text â€Å"AP† by John Updike In the story of â€Å"AP† by John Updike Sammy is the narrator. He is a nineteen year old young man who portrays a normal teenager by having a summer job like most teenagers do. He had a common summer job at a grocery store. He held the position as a cashier throughout the story until he ended up having a dynamic change. Throughout most of the story his actions would be considered assertive to most readers. He is very particular with every detail