Barn Burning and AandP Rite of Passage Journeys by Young Men

“The glory of the nation rests in the character of her men.

Thus every boy is a challenge to his elders.” Herbert Hoover

Obtaining rite of passage can take place anywhere from childhood upward into the twenties or even thirties, but is most commonly under-taken in the late teen years. In the short stories “A&P” by John Updike, and “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner, the elements of inflexible social systems, adult rules and authority illustrates how a couple of young men make their mark on society by going against the grain in order to earn their rite of passage.

Updike’s story takes place in a grocery store located in the center of a very conservative New England community. Much like the small town, the A&P grocery store observes inflexible social systems such as “proper” shopping etiquette and “appropriate” dress code. The “normal” customers, “houseslaves” and “sheep” as referred to by Sammy, balk at the audacity of the young girls’ total disregard for “proper” dress code and “normal” traffic flow of the aisles. Sammy, on the other hand, is enamored by the young girls and sees nothing wrong with their clothes, even though he understands their cho

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Some common words found in the essay are:
Sarty Sarty, William Faulkner, Mom Dad, Ultimately Sammys, Likewise Sarty, Father Father, Eventually Sarty, Sarty Abner, Hoover Obtaining, Passage Journeys, rite passage, social systems, inflexible social systems, inflexible social, adult rules authority, grocery store, conscience decision, adult rules, rules authority, story takes, dress code, dress code normal, code normal,
Approximate Word count = 1083
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)