A & P by John Updike is a short story that deals with a young man who works at the local grocery store. Sammy is a prime example of the typical nineteen-year-old boy. He has a job at a local store, and he is working to have some money, and he is making his parents proud. He seems to be content with his job, until some unexpected customers change his mind. Sammy's life takes an unexpected turn in a matter of a few minutes. This short story is one that was very well written, and follows a traditional writing style. A & P has a well planned out story line, and the writer has created the setting very well; overall this story is an excellent one, when all the elements to a great story come together, the reader sees how good this story really is.
             The plot of the story is a very complex, but a good one nonetheless. The plot meets all elements of the typical plot diagram. The inciting moment in the story is at the very beginning. Updike writes, "In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits." (p.1). These girls are the base for the story, and without them there would be no story at all, so they fill the inciting moment role well. The exposition of the story is met in the first few paragraphs of the story. Within these few paragraphs the tone for the story is set, a very comic and informal tone, and the reader is given some information and insight about Sammy. The rising action takes place when the girls are walking around the store, it builds up to the final action of the story. The climax is definitely an important part of the plot diagram, and Updike does a good job of creating his climax to be the turning point of the story. When Sammy quits his job, the story does indeed take a turn in a different direction. The falling action of the story is when Sammy walks out of the grocery store. Finally the resolution occurs when order is returned to the store, the manager takes over and fulfills Sammy's former...