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 reg

Sammy knew the road ahead would be long and rough, but he also knew there was no turning back. It was his moment to “break free” of what he considered an oppressive, stagnant environment, and he was willing to accept the consequences of his actions, for he had no intention of becoming one of the “herd”.

Updike uses the entry of the store manager, Mr. Lengel, as the voice of authority that abruptly changes the tone of the story. Lengel catches sight of the girls as Sammy is ringing up their single purchase. Their appearance is offensive to the hard working, conservative, Sunday school teaching Lengel, who proceeds to repeatedly scold the girls for their attire, or lack of it, while Sammy feels strongly against the policy that the supermarket enforces. The girls were surprised and embarrassed by this verbal attack. Sammy showed his sensitive side as he took stand for Queenie and the girls against Lengel.

ular customers, who Sammy refers to as “sheep”, because they plod along as they follow their robotic, boring routine. Sammy is a typical, red-blooded teenage boy, who is driven more by impressing girls than by job re

Some topics in this essay:
John Updike, Lengel Sammy’s, , consequences actions, girls sammy, sammy’s own, checkout boy, sight girls,