The A&P Rebellion

The A&P Rebellion

     John Updike’s A&P (Updike 589-593) is a short story narrative rich in colorful description and testosterone-driven- coming-of-age-conflict. Sammy, the protagonist, is full of the wit and insight of a young man who finds himself both amused and challenged by the hypocrisy of early1960’s society. His actions at the climatic end of the story are stimulated by a youthful infatuation, and perhaps lust, for a half naked girl in a grocery store; but he does, at once, stand up against authority and plunge (somewhat reluctantly) into a world filled with fear and uncertainty. Updike’s use of metaphor mixed with copious amounts of social and sexual images; written in the casual language of a young man’s first person point of view, sets the tone, defines the characters, and develops a theme of anxious rebellion.

    The tone of this short story is set immediately as Sammy, starts the narration with-- “In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits” ( 589).The statement draws the audience in by sounding like the first line of a joke, followed by the image of near-naked girls walking into a store. The term “in nothing but bathing suits” sounds more sexually charged than if he merely stated: in walk these three girls in bathing suits. “In nothing but…” expresses nudity first, covered in only a bathing suit. This language develops a much more titillating, and amusing tone.

    The characters in the story develop as Sammy observes the actions of the girls and the reactions of everyone else in the store. He continues to define the girls by using the colloquialisms of a boy his age: “She was a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can” (589)… she walks “as if she was testing the floor with every step, putting a little deliberate extra action in it” (590). Sammy describes the other customers as “sheep”, “house-slaves in pin curlers” and “scared pigs in a chute” (590, 593). Throughout the story these metaphors and descriptions not only develop the characters he is describing, but develops his own character as well. We find Sammy to be an intelligent, observant, witty, libidinous young man with an emerging skeptical, perhaps sardonic, attitude toward authority and society.

     Sammy’s rebellion against authority, in what seems like a split decision to quit his job, is actually a theme that developed throughout the story.  Sammy shows discontent with his job by his lack of respect for the customers and his store manager (whom he describes as a “pretty dreary” (592) corporate stiff). He is not too happy about the rest of the world either. The story takes place in 1962 the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The stress of these times, as the U. S. faced off with Russia, was great as evidenced by Sammy’s retort about Stokesie thinking he will someday be manager: “maybe in 1990 when it’s called the Great Alexandrov and Petrooshki Tea Company” (591).  These are important clues to what Sammy will eventually do. The girls represent a way out for Sammy; an escape from the mundane lives of those that surround him. Sammy really doesn’t expect the girls to praise him, and carry him off for the courageous deed of standing up for their honor. Sammy is simply done, over it, fed up. He decides not to play it safe and accept the crappy life that stretches out before him. It is a rebellion. He makes a statement. He sticks with his commitment to the rebellion even though he knows it will take him down an anxious road.

     John Updike wrote the A&P using the voice of nineteen year-old Sammy, who is growing up with the anxiety of the unknown. As he observes the world around him, he questions the integrity and worth of the society he is being groomed for. When Sammy’s coming of age crisis hits him he deals with it by rebelling against authority. Updike uses metaphor, descriptive social/ sexual images and Sammy’s casual language in the first person perspective to set the tone, define the characters and develop the underlying theme of an anxious rebellion.