The expectations of society give us two choices: to conform or to rebel and escape. In the story "A&P" John Updike comments on the nature of a desire to escape from society's restrictions. This story takes place during the nineteen sixties. The desire to escape colors our view of our circumstances. This is seen through Sammy's view of the A&P customers, his reaction to his boss, and his final actions which are a response to the conflict in the store. .

             The author illustrates Sammy's contempt for those who conform through his reactions to the A&P customers. The way Sammy interprets the first lady's reaction to his mistake of ringing up the HiHo crackers twice is immediately negative. "She's one of these cash-register-watchers, a witch about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows."1 He instantly jumps to the conclusion that she is glad to have caught him making a mistake, "I know it made her day to trip me up"2. He labels her a "witch" which demonstrates his lack of respect for her. The other customers are generally christened as "sheep". Sammy uses the name "sheep" to imply that the customers are bland and unthinkingly conforming. At another point, he refers to them as "scared pigs in a chute"3. This also illustrates his lack of respect for them. Sammy's desire not to conform has colored his view of anyone he suspects of conforming. He assumes that anyone who acts within the expectations of society is a blind follower. This causes him to make unfair judgments of others.

             Sammy sees Lengel as a dreary conventionalist; Lengel supports the ideals of society and is therefore in direct conflict with Sammy. You can almost sense Sammy's frustration. It is likely that he finds his life at the store dull, colorless, and boring. Sammy's rebellion against Lengel is the direct result of his desire to resist and escape conformity and the expectations of society. The author uses the A&P store to symbolize the conventions of society and he uses Lengel as the focus of the conflict.