John Updike's "A&P" begins "In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits"(487). The title and first line surprise us almost as much as the girls did the other characters in the story. We are surprised again when Sammy, the narrator, quits his checkout job at the end of the story. Sammy does not tell us anything about himself except his age, 19. Updike decided it was important we understand Sammy is at the point in his life where decisions are made that affect the rest of our lives. In the time span of about ten minutes, the realities of Sammy's life are brought into sharp focus. The girls have dropped in by chance from a more affluent environment. Sammy sees through them the possibilities for a different sort of life than the one he's headed for.
             The other customers and employees are related to us mostly by their reaction to the girls. They are shocked by the girls' appearance, but immediately go back to their shopping. Sammy is amused by this "pretty hilarious...eyes snapped back to their own basket...there was no doubt, this jiggled them"(488). Sammy refers to them as animals several times "the sheep pushing their carts down the aisles"(488) and "scared pigs in a chute"(491). He does not have much respect for these people, who he claims would not even notice if a bomb went off. The words he uses to describe the store surroundings are matter-of-fact and derogatory. "the far aisle, around the light bulbs, records at discount...some such gunk you wonder they waste the wax on, sixpacks of candy bars, and plastic toys done up in cellophane that fall apart when a kid looks at them anyway."(489) He also ridicules his fellow employees, making fun of one for wanting to be manager and accusing the manager of sitting in his office all day. This is Sammy's world, and he does not seem pleased with it.
             In contrast, we have viv...