Varied Reactions to John Updike's "a & P" Short Story

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A work of literature can mean many things to each new reader who journeys into it. Details derived from the text can incite diverse reactions from readers based on their own understanding, age, gender, and experience relating to the piece. This holds true for John Updike's short story "A & P" when looked at through the eyes of myself, my mother, and my sister. Upon reading this piece, I could not escape the striking similarities between how Sammy passed the time at the A & P grocery store, and the monotonous routine of when I was employed at a local grocery store. "In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits." From Personal experience, I can tell you that "checking out" women is a favorite past-time of bored adolescent male employees of grocery stores such as Sammy. Even Old McMahon, the meat guy, was "patting his mouth... and sizing up their joints." Furthermore, I was not surprised to learn this cherished activity dates back nearly a half century ago to Sammy's days of working in a grocery store. Another detail of the grocery store that sticks out in my mind is how supervisors demanded rigid adherence to policy and rules. Updike did not fail to illustrate this aspect of this job. "I don't want to argue with you. After this come in here with your shoulders covered. It's our policy." Updike also illustrates the point of how employees detest their supervisors' policy. "Policy is what the kingpins want, what the others want is juvenile delinquency." From once being a victim of policy myself, I interpreted Sammy's quitting as breaking free from the A & P's constraints; similarly, this was the reason I finally quit my job at the grocery store. The inclusion of the details of grocery work make it clear John Updike spent time working in the grocery business. My grocery experience was clearly responsible for forming my own opinions towards this story, but how would someone who has not had the "unique pleasure" of working in a grocery store react? For insight into this viewpoint I looked to my prudent mother. I read Updike's piece to the middle-aged woman, and to my surprise, she wasn't at all astounded by the way Sammy watched the girls in the store. "He's a teenage boy, it's what they do.

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