A&P

Odd Behavior

Sammy’s behavior through out John Updike’s A&P could be perceived as odd. Sammy’s actions could be viewed as odd but his intentions are not. Updike does a great job leaving the end of the story up for interpretation. There is never a definitive answer in literature. Not having a definitive answer it what divides literature from math and science. If novels had one clear cut dry definitive answer to everything they would be called textbooks. This is the climax of the story and where the interpretation begins.
One common interpretation of Sammy’s behavior could be looked at as heroic, rebellious and profound. An equally common view is his actions are admirable and kind for standing up for the girls. The common perception is not my perception. The way I perceive his actions were selfish. He quit his job for himself contrary to the way he even obtained the job. Updike creates this scenario where he quits his job. That is too simple. Sammy quit his job for himself. In the beginning of the story, Updike says his parents are friends with the owner of A&P and got him the job. Sammy was just working there as a favor and to respect his parents not for himself. “Sammy, you don’t want to do this to your Mom and Dad”. Lengel says you do not want to do this to your parents because Sammy was only working their for his parents. Sammy was not working at A&P for himself. Sammy has been looking for a way out but never had the heart to quit.
Towards the middle of the story, Sammy is ringing up one of the more elderly shoppers when he makes a mistake and rings her item up twice. The lady quickly jumps on his mistake and he apologizes. That could be characterized as a minor and common mistake. Yes, maybe the manner the lady corrected him could be rude and annoyed Sammy but not enough for him to pack his bags. Updike creates the most unseen and unimaginable scenario in the 1960’s. Updike mentions the scene with the old lady because that scene is so minor and common compared to the major and bizarre scene. “In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits”. Updike shows that Sammy is aware and observant of the people that come into the store. Sammy had never seen girls dressed like nor has anyone else. “ …but remembering how he made that pretty girl blush makes me so scrunchy inside”. Sammy had a natural attraction to the pretty girl and wanted to get to know her. Sammy sees the same folks all the time because he works at the local food store. He never sees girls his own age shopping at the grocery store. Sammy defends the girls because he wants to get to know them. The girls gave Sammy a reason to quit and Sammy’s disagreement with his boss finalized his escape.
The disagreement between Sammy and Lengel occurred because of the girls. “ Girls this isn’t the beach. My mother asked me to pick up a jar of herring snacks. That’s okay but this isn’t the beach”. Sammy is than reminded of how Lengel, his boss, thought of A&P. “ His repeating this struck me as funny…he had been thinking all these years the A&P was a great big dune and he was the head lifeguard. He didn’t like my smiling-as I say he doesn’t miss much.”. Lengel thoughts about A&P contradict his policy. Sammy didn’t want to work at A&P and the way Lengel controlled the store helped him realize that. After Sammy quits his job, he walks outside. “ I looked around for my girls, but they’re gone, of course”. Quitting his job was more important to him than the girls. If the girls were more important, Sammy would of left with them.
Sammy is not a hero but can be compared to one. Peter Parker also known as Spiderman at a time was involved in a somewhat similar scenario. Peter Parker is a super hero. His job is to help and protect the citizens. Before Peter had super powers, he was in love with this girl Mary Jane. Peter was getting closer to Mary Jane but his job was pulling him further away. Peter was not only losing his relationship with Mary Jane but everyone else. Peter made the decision to give up his job as Spiderman so he could have more time to try and be with Mary Jane. Peter wanted to go and explore other options in the world much like Sammy but never had the time to do so. Peter Parker and Sammy made the same decision to quit their jobs so the can pursue what they want to do. Peter Parker was always busy rescuing people and stopping crimes. Sammy was always just seeing the same people all the time. Both quit their jobs and realize they had made a mistake. Peter’s mistake was he left the city of New York vunerable. Sammy’s mistake was the way he left.
Updike created that scenario and focuses on the girls to whole time. He makes the audience focus so much on the girls that when Sammy leaves his job, the first obvious reason why he left was for the girls. When really thinking about it, it is easy to tell how bored Sammy must get at work. Sammy create vivid images of what the people he saw in the store are like. Meanwhile, he would never really know what they were like unless he had the time to meet them. Sammy’s behavior is not really odd its normal for a teenage boy to want to be seen as attractive to girls. He wanted to let the girls know that he is cooler than he job might display him as.