Varying Views
Point of view is defined as the perspective from which the story is narrated. It also relates the speaker's intentions or purpose for telling the story. Point of view changes from character to character, which can also affect the meaning of the story. Different characters have different perceptions of how the story takes place. Examining the view of each character can lead to different interpretations of the meaning of the story. However, the perspective of the narrator controls and influences the reader's understanding of any story. In "A & P" the narrator, Sammy, is also the main character telling the story from his point of view. Sammy is a young man working as a cashier in a grocery store in a small town north of Boston a fair distance from the beach. The story takes place at his job, when three girls enter the store in skimpy bathing suits. Sammy is awe-struck by the girls' appearance since customers generally don't come to his grocery store inappropriately dressed. The first thing Sammy says is "In walked these three girls in nothing but bathing suits" (p. 881). He creates a clear image of them and the store with his detailed description of their mannerisms and appearance, specifically Queenie's "lo
Stokesie's reaction Sammy's sudden decision isn't revealed, but he's probably astonished when Sammy walks out. Lengel did not approve of the girls' attire in the store. Even though they were in the wrong, they are still customers. He realized life would be harder from that point on because, sometimes, it's best to keep your mouth shut and swallow your pride. It's easy to picture Sammy standing behind the cash register eyeing the girls' every move through the store. He also does not understand Sammy's "Fiddle-de-doo" (p. 884), but Sammy retains his pride and walks out anyway. I could identify with Sammy for the majority of the story. He describes the customers as "house slaves in pin curlers " (p. Sammy's actions were spontaneous and unexplainable to Lengel who had been outside "haggling with a truck full of cabbages" (p. He gives Sammy a second chance by saying "Sammy, you don't want to do this to your mom and dad" (p. Stokesie, the other cashier, notices Sammy's eyes following the girls throughout the store. 884) quickly leave without acknowledging his gesture.
Common topics in this essay:
Varying Views,
Oh Daddy,
Tall Goony-Goony,
Sammy's Fiddle-de-doo,
Lengel Manager,
Literature Composition,
Longman Inc,
bathing suits,
store lengel,
grocery store,
telling story view,
story takes,
meaning story,
telling story,
sammy's actions,
lengel manager,
story view,
sammy's eyes,
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Acceptance Essays
