A & P

A & P

“A & P” tells the story of a nineteen year old checkout boy named Sammy, who suddenly quits his job after his boss, Mr. Lengel, speaks harshly to three teenage girls about the way they are dressed in his grocery store. Sammy’s own character becomes defined as he finds himself caught up in a clash between the conventional views of the stoic Mr. Lengel and the frivolous, free-spirited girls. Updike weaves his theme past the obvious generation gap deep into the character contrasts that ultimately cause Sammy’s own personality and values to surface and suddenly erupt to the point of no return, leaving him to face the consequences of his actions.
It is a slow summer afternoon when three young, scantily clad girls come into the downtown A&P grocery. Their style is a sharp contrast to the r...