Better Decisions, Better Life Essay

John Updike, who is known for his brilliant prose style and the sensual expound in his stories, takes everyday tasks and gives a whole new perspective to it. Like in A&P, which is a narrative from the perspective of a nineteen-year-old male child working in the checkout line. Even though Sammy is nevertheless an average boy, something significant happens that day at the marketplace store. The story revolves around Sammys expedition from adolescence to adulthood and his resignation from the job at the grocery store marks the major change. Even though Sammys conscience disagrees with his decision, his need to escape the monotony of his life drives him to take it. The author uses various symbols to present a gradual progression into Sammys decision in the end.As a teenage boy in a town in Boston in the 60s, Sammy did not have much going on for himself his responsibility was to earn some bills to manage the household expenses. For his he had to work at the grocery store. His co- worker Stokesie, who is only three years older than him, is married and has dickens children. He hopes to create the manager of the grocery store and is the only other co-worker mentioned in the story. Sammy obviously feels a strong connection with Stokesie, as they both eye the lounge suit clad girls together. Also, he mentions that the only difference he can tell between Stokesie and himself is the number of years they are a take up (Updike 531). But from the tone in which Sammy talks about Stokesie, it is easy to see that he does not respect his co-worker as much. Instead he feels as though he is flavour into a mirror of the future and he lives a life similar to Stokesies. Updikes intention was to portray Stokesie as the future reflection of Sammy.Although when the girls enter the grocery store dressed skimpily, they present Sammy with a whole new world. Sammy says you never know for sure how girls minds work, instead he imagines it to be a wee buzz like a bee in a glass jar (Updike 530). He observes little details about every of these girls and ranks them on the basis of his perception. The two girls he gives the position of followers were not given much thought, except for their swim suit colors and their build. However, the girl that he ranked as the leader, or the Queenie, received most of his attention. Other than the color of her hair and bikini, he mentions how there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her (Updike 530). Also, he notices that she held her head so high that her neck looked stretched, scarcely he did not mind that because that meant the more(prenominal) of her there was (Updike 530). This shows that Sammy is extremely intrigued by the girls, especially Queenie, that the more he could examine her, the more satisfied he would be. She was something different from his everyday experiences.The colors described are significant to the theme of the story. The girls were described to be wear plaid green, bright green and beige bikinis (Updike 529,530). They are presented as a contrast to the dull colors of the store. These bright colors represent a ablaze and unknown province. Also, the floor of the grocery store is a checkerboard green-and-cream. Even though these colors are close to the colors of the girls bathing suits, the checkerboard strain dissolves the radiance of these colors against the curiosity in the girls itself. This was a new event in Sammys life.After all, a grocery store check-out clerk does a job such as this mostly out of necessity. Evidently Sammy has grown tired of rude customers. He describes one elderly female customer as a witch about fifty with rogue on her cheekbones and no eyebrows (Updike 529) when she caught him swiping one of her items twice. Sammy felt as though it pleased her to correct him. He imagines people who come shopping at A&P to be sad souls. He describes some other female customers as houseslaves in pin curlers (Updike 531). Also , he designates the customers at the grocery store sheeps while narrating the story. He seems to address the herd mentality that people tend to have to stick together when theres trouble. Clearly, he doesnt look up to this cowardly behavior. He complains about this since the beginning of the story. However in the end he changes this attitude.Not only the customers and Stokesie, but Sammy does not respect the manager either. Although he has never been vocal about it, Sammy mocks Lengel in his head and accuses him of hiding behind the door labeled Manager all day (Updike 532).This shows Lengels gutless personality. When Lengel walks in on the girls checking out, he asserts his authority and lets them know that they must dress appropriately in the store (Updike 532). It was the last cover for Sammy and he quits his job, even after Lengel warns him about it (Updike 533). Lengels warning further shows that he has always taken the safer way and thats why he has never been able to stand up for his beliefs. Sammy did not want to be someone like Lengel, so he decides to break free.When Sammy stands up for the girls, a part of him did expect some appreciation from them. But the underlying reason is much bigger than a simple Thank you. It is about his freedom from the routine modus vivendi that he was getting used to. Continuing the life he had would eventually lead to the same monotonous life that Stokesie and Lengel had. Also, Sammys course of action changes through with(predicate) the story. In the beginning he would complain about the people he came across and worked with, but he had not ever taken any pure tone to change that. Quitting the job was the major step that would change his life. Although, he may not have a stable job anymore, this decision has definitely make him a better person.Work CitedUpdike, John. A&P. 1961. Approaching Literature Writing + Reading + Thinking. Ed. PeterSchakel and Jack Ridl. 2nd ed. Boston Bedford, 2008. 529-534. Print.