A & P By John Updike Character Analysis Essay

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Recommended: Themes of maturity in literature

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once said, “Learning lessons is a little like reaching maturity. You're not suddenly more happy, wealthy, or powerful, but you understand the world around you better, and you're at peace with yourself. Learning life's lessons is not about making your life perfect, but about seeing life as it was meant to be.” In “A & P”, John Updike portrays the narrator, Sammy, as a young male who is satisfied with the simplicity of life; however, Sammy’s exterior does not reflect his disposition as he enters adulthood and begins to forge his own path. A deeper understanding of Sammy’s character and values is revealed through an analysis of Updike’s text. Sammy’s observations reveal that he is an ambitious individual who is restrained by his immature and contemptuous attitude. …show more content…

Sammy described the customers as “sheep”. He observed that all of the customers are all going in the same direction; they easily conform to the status quo. Although Sammy respected Stocksie, Sammy believed Stocksie was another example of a soul lost to conformity. Sammy described him as, “the responsible married man”, who “thinks he is going to be manager some sunny day, maybe in 1990 when it’s called the Great Alexandrov and Petrooshki Tea Company or something,” in a scoffing tone. Sammy fondly noted that the girls walked against the store’s traffic patterns. His amusement revealed his ambition to defy the town’s values. While ogling over Queenie, Sammy said, “She had her sort of oaky hair that the sun and salt had bleached, done up in a bun that was unraveling, and a kind of prim face. Walking into the A & P with your straps down. I suppose it’s the only kind of face you can have.” Queenie’s attitude and body language appealed to Sammy because he believed his lifestyle and milieu was beneath him; he longed to be successful and rise above his

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