A Literary Criticism of: A&P by John Updike

John Updike’s post-modern short story, A&P, focuses on exploitation and self-reflection that leads a teenage boy named Sammy to realize where his values stand. Updike writes about small town people in middle class America.  His work explores the human complexities and therefore creates a new perspective simply because it explores human relations. Like most of his fiction, Updike sold his poetry, stories and essays to The New Yorker.

A&P takes place during the summertime at a local grocery store in a small town north of Boston. Sammy, the narrator, is a teenage boy who comes across three young girls who come in with just their bathing suits on. Sammy is captivated by their appearances. He then watches them from afar describing their every move with great detail. When the girls are finished with their shopping, they approach Sammy’s register. The store manager then comes out and belittles them for their obscene presence. The girls, now embarrassed, walk out of the store just as Sammy takes a courageous stand. He quits his job. The manager, who’s very close with Sammy’s parents, tries to convince him to stay, but nevertheless he sticks with his decision and walks out the store. By the time he’s out there, the girls have already left. The story ends with Sammy self-reflecting on his actions and realizes “how hard the world was going to be for me hereafter.”

Depending on how the reader annotated A&P, there can be many interpretations. Some may see him as a hero, who realized that there is much more to be offered than his small-town job. Others may see him as an adored rebel who took into consideration the consequences and still went against the norm. Alternatively, some might say that he was misguided and used his gesture in a selfish manner to get the girls to notice him. His gesture was romantic, but the only thing he gained was the loss of his job. 

John Updike being America’s most versatile, prolific, and distinguished man of literature, wrote this story to gain a number of people with split opinions of Sammy’s stunt.  Many readers may see his behavior as authentic and admirable, while others will argue that his decision was impulsive and inappropriate.