John Updike's
Paradox is often defined as one exhibiting contradictory or inexplicable aspects or qualities. In John Updike's "A&P", the character of Sammy personifies this definition perfectly. Many have read this seemingly simple short story and reactions over the decade have been quite varied. Reactions to Sammy have run the gamut from romantic hero to lustful, vain youth. His ultimate decision to quit his job has been labeled as everything from heroic and Emersonian, to foolish and pointless. But perhaps the most prevailing opinion is that his tone and verbiage present him as a sexist young man destined to become as distasteful as the people he seems to hate too much. On the contrary, there are always mitigating circumstances. Often one's treatment of the opposite sex is based on age, era, and personal experiences. To simply take Sammy out of the context of the story, and label him a sexist is both unfair and shortsighted. Sammy is neither sexist nor a romantic hero. He is not valiant or foolish. Sammy is, in fact, a boy, still young enough to be idealistic, but old enough to know that dreams are often deferred. It is this that frightens him. His youth and fear create a world in which Sammy lives in limbo, until three young g
irls prance through the A & P and liberate him. Sammy has complexities that far belie his youth and inexperience. The layers of his character, personality, and aspirations slowly peel away and by the end of the short story, you are left with a clearer image of who he really is and what his motivations are. Once the girls are accosted and embarrassed by Lengel, Sammy's bearing changes yet again. No longer the smart, wiseacre kid, full of insults and withering observations, he becomes quiet and retrospective. His thoughts become private, he no longer chooses to share them with his audience, but it is obvious he is undergoing a psychological metamorphosis, "I thought and said "No" but it wasn't about that I was thinking." (483). I "hand it over, all the time thinking." (483). At this moment a few more of Sammy layers fall away as he announces for the girls, Lengel, and all the store to hear, "I quit". This assertion could be seen as valiant. An employee enraged at the unethical treatment of poor, innocent girls, quits in a fit of rage. However, this is where Sammy's complexities come in. That is the easy point of view. In truth, quitting is a reflection of Sammy's fear. His total disregard for the townspeople underscores an innate fear. Sammy has a great deal of apprehension that perhaps they weren't always this way. Perhaps they, too, used to be more like him. They used to crave a bit more from life than a spouse, 2.5 kids, a family dog and a station wagon. At some point they had dreams, but life conquered them. The dead end town, with its lack of opportunities and distinctiveness kept them in their place. A place that Sammy fears more and more every day will be his place soon, if he doesn't break free. When the three girls walk into the store, they suddenly represent everything that Sammy is trying so desperately to hold onto. They represent free will, spirit, spunk, triumph, and unwillingness to give in to conventionality. They remind him that there is little difference between him and Stokesie, "Stokesie's married, with two babies chalked up on his fuselage already, but as far as I can tell that's the only difference" (482), and if he doesn't do something very drastic, very quickly, he will one day be one of these sheep. The final image of Sammy is that of a young man afraid of becoming Lengel "His face was dark gray and his back stiff, as if he'd just had an injection of iron". He has finally come of age as he takes stock of his decision, proceeds without regret, yet st
Some common words found in the essay are:
Stokesie Stokesie's, Sammy Lengel, Reactions Sammy, Lengel Sammy's, Daddy Husband, Updike's A&P, , a&p character sammy, towards women, romantic hero, sammy's layers, short story, break free, character sammy, a&p character, women sammy's, thinking 483, lengel store,
Approximate Word count = 1697
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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