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A & P

In the short story “A&P”, Sammy a young clerk at the A&P, a local grocery store, experiences some unusual customers that end up affecting his entire life through a series of events. First person narration, geographical setting, and symbolism are a few of the ways the author, John Updike gives the reader an inside look into the adolescents mind. All of these literary devices enhance the meanings of the story’s symbols as the boy’s personality and view of his world change from content to admiration to resignation.
Sammy, the first person narrator, plays an essential role in portraying an in depth viewpoint of the story. Thus, Sammy tells us that he lives with his parents and that he disapproves of the supermarket’s customers. He labels them clueless, ignorant, and lost when he refers to them as, “The sheep pushing their carts down the aisle”. He also tells the reader how three teenage girls attr...

Posted by: Jennifer Valles

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