Dynamic Character In John Updike's A & P

In the short story “A&P,” John Updike depicts through his static and dynamic characters a time in society where expectations were beginning to change.
Throughout the introduction, we are informed of how through his era of life, Updike wrote his books inspired on memories of his childhood and growing up in Pennsylvania. In the 50’s the number of cars in the U.S. nearly doubled from 39 million to 74 million, making moving around from place to place much easier. The term "teenager" was rarely used before the 1950s. Most young people began to see themselves as a distinct group. Earlier in American history, young people often had to work full-time jobs to help support their families' basic survival. By the 50s, that was usually no longer the case. Teens instead worked part-time jobs or received allowances from their parents, giving them money to spend on fun non-essentials. And that’s exactly what Sammy did. Sammy, a dynamic character, who grows and changes in the course of this story, and Lengal, a static character, who remains unchanged throughout the story take this story to a whole other level.

“The one that caught my eye first was the one in the plaid green two-piece,” (131) He evaluates their looks and all the details about the way they carry themselves. Sammy also notices their personalities and their motivation for entering the store dressed the way they are. The author purposely had these girls flaunt their bodies to show how society may judge you for what you wear. The way Sammy focuses on the girls and how they are dressed exposes his own prejudices and blind spots. He has a desire to set himself apart so that he can prove to girls that he is different which leads him to quit his job. By doing this Sammy proves to be a dynamic character. He changes with whatever comes his