A P Character Analysis - 930 Words

Impending Reality In John Updike’s short story â€Å"A P†, a dynamic and round character expresses his subjective attitude towards his views, a plot twist causes him to realize his future. Sammy an opinionated cashier at A P grocery store does not agree with his Lengel, his manager after he reprimands a particular group of customers at the store. Sammy’s further actions cause him to face the true reality of his future. Sammy who is nineteen years old, is working his usual shift at A P. Suddenly a group of three girls walk into to store barefoot wearing bathing suits. He is instantly shocked when he glances upon their beauty. In no time, Sammy is carefully looking over and describing in detail the girl’s appearance. The first girl was†¦show more content†¦Sammy surmises how he will never know for sure how girls’ minds work, he says â€Å"do you really think it’s a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?â₠¬  I personally believe that Sammy is attracted to the girls in a way that he undermines their intelligence because he feels their beauty is beneath him. He criticizes the way they walk and their appearance, but perhaps he is jealous of them, thus making this remark. What truly gets the attention of Sammy is Queenie’s pink bathing suit that had straps that were pushed off which exposed her bare shoulders. He describes that with the straps down you can see just â€Å"her† and how she was â€Å"more than pretty.† Customers of A P are in shock when they witness the girls’ appearance in the store. Stokesie, another cashier at A P who is only three years older than Sammy, is married with two kids. He does not resist fantasizing over the girls. He makes commentary along with Sammy, again clearly displaying the mindset of that age group. The store is quiet, Sammy is anxiously awaiting the girls to come into view as there is nothing else to do. He fabricates s cenarios in his head such as which check out aisle they will choose when their shopping has concluded. When the time came Sammy had lucked out, they had decided to check out with him. In a daze, he carefully watched every movement they made as items were placed on the counter. At the peak of the moment Lengel, the manager and strictShow MoreRelatedEssay on A P: A Character Analysis of Sammy734 Words   |  3 Pagesgrowth of the main character from childhood to maturity. This is a prototype of John Updikes short story, A P, the protagonist, Sammy, is faced with a difficult dilemma, and comes to realize a universal truth about human behavior. 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