Varying Views
Point of view is defined as the perspective from which the story is narrated. It also relates the speaker's intentions or purpose for telling the story. Point of view changes from character to character, which can also affect the meaning of the story. Different characters have different perceptions of how the story takes place. Examining the view of each character can lead to different interpretations of the meaning of the story. However, the perspective of the narrator controls and influences the reader's understanding of any story. In "A & P" the narrator, Sammy, is also the main character telling the story from his point of view. Sammy is a young man working as a cashier in a grocery store in a small town north of Boston a fair distance from the beach. The story takes place at his job, when three girls enter the store in skimpy bathing suits. Sammy is awe-struck by the girls' appearance since customers generally don't come to his grocery store inappropriately dressed. The first thing Sammy says is "In walked these three girls in nothing but bathing suits" (p. 881). He creates a clear image of them and the store with his detailed description of their mannerisms and appearance, specifically Queenie's "lo
ng white prima-donna legs" (p. 881). Sammy's attention briefly shifts from Queenie to a daydream where Sammy is standing in her living room with her parents eating herring snacks. He boldly stands up to Lengel, the Manager, and quits his job to be her "unsuspected hero" (p. 884). The girls, I could identify with Sammy for the majority of the story. It's easy to picture Sammy standing behind the cash register eyeing the girls' every move through the store. Lengel did seem harsh but a bathing suit and bare feet is not proper attire for a grocery store, especially if it's not near the beach. I might have said something to Lengel about the way he talked to the girls. Even though they were in the wrong, they are still customers. Sammy overreacted by quitting his job; it was and unnecessary and unnoticed act of heroism. Embarrassment is not a harsh punishment, more of a learning lesson. The only thing Sammy left the A & P with was his pride. He realized life would be harder from that point on because, sometimes, it's best to keep your mouth shut and swallow your pride. The girls didn't realize they were doing wrong by coming into the A & P in nothing but bathing suits. Other customer
Some common words found in the essay are:
Varying Views, Oh Daddy, Tall Goony-Goony, Sammy's Fiddle-de-doo, Lengel Manager, Literature Composition, Longman Inc, bathing suits, store lengel, grocery store, telling story view, story takes, meaning story, telling story, sammy's actions, lengel manager, story view, sammy's eyes,
Approximate Word count = 805
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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