At the beginning of story “A&P“, Sammy notices that three girls have proceeded into the store with nothing on except for there bathing suits. When they get into his sight, he begins to size the girls up. He watches as the girls walk around the store and states "the one that caught my eye first was the one in the green plaid two-piece. She was a chunky kid with a good tan and a broad soft-looking can with those crescents of white just under it, where the sun never seems to hit, at the tops of the backs of her legs." Then there is on he really notices well because he thinks she really pretty. Sammy describes her as "She kind of led them, the other two peeking around and making their shoulders round. She didn

At the end of the story Sammy is outraged at how the girls were treated by Lengel. His words and actions appear to cooperate this statement. Sammy tells Lengel "I quit". (18) He had hopped the girls would of heard him, Sammy then gives Lengel his apron. This takes Lengel by surprise, and he says "you don't want to do this to your Mom and Dad." (18) Sammy’s’ parents and lengel had been friends for a long time. I believe this was attempt on linguels part to make Sammy feel sorry for the choice he had made. When Sammy left the store, the girls where long gone. He may have been a little disappointed in this, because he couldn’t be the type of hero he wished to be. When Sammy did step outside he saw the world in a different light. Sammy recalled that "His face was dark gray and his back stiff, as if he's just had an injection of iron, and my stomach kind of felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter." (19) This quote illustrates that Sammy realizes that he has to take charge with his life, and make his own chooses without being afraid of what his parents or others would think.

This story is significant in many ways it show Sammy changing from a lustful boy to a man that can stands up for something no matter how insignificant it may seem. Thought, h

Some topics in this essay:
John Updike, Mom Dad, Sammy Lengel, Herring Snack”, , feel sorry, sammy refers, sammy lengel, 17 lengel, queenie replies, starts feel, sammy starts, notices girls,