John Updikes AP Summary free essay sample

Sammys unforgettable day. Men will do Just about anything to get attention from a pretty girl. John Updikes most popular short story A P, demonstrates Just what a young guy would do in the 1960s in that position. It explains a scenario of Sammy who is the main character, quitting his Job to seem like a hero to these three beautiful young ladies who happen to visit the supermarket where he works in. What Sammy doesnt realize is that his decision to leave his Job, might have some severe out comings not Just in the present but also for his future. Just by reading the first sentence, the reader can assume that this will be an interesting story. In walk these three girls in nothing but bathing suits (Updike 1026). Sammy seems to be surprised, and amazed by these three girls who have Just walked in his store. We will write a custom essay sample on John Updikes AP Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He specifically describes the girls beauties and flaws, and compares them to common items in the supermarket (Thompson 216). First, describing one and the other in very close detail, ranking them in their look. However, concentrates more on the leader (Saldivar 217). He separates one from the hree of them. She was the queen. She kind of led them, the other two peeking around and making their shoulders round (Updike 1026). He completely forgets about his duties while being a cashier and messes up a transaction he was having with this cash-register-watchers, who gives him a hard time for ringing an item twice. Thats how astonished he was by sight of this one particular girl who he decided to call Queenie. Sammy gives a detailed observation of the girls walking throughout the store and also the store itself, clearly proving with such descriptions hat he has been working in the AP supermarket for a long time (Thompson 215). Sammy impatiently waits for the girls to be done shopping and pick a register. The whole store was like a pinball machine and I didnt know which tunnel theyd come out of (Updike 1027). For his luck the girls decide to come to him for assistance, and as they checkout it is queenie who is doing the purchase. She purchases Kingfish Fancy Herring Snacks in Pure Sour Cream (Updike 1027). And Sammy starts to wonder how she would pay for it; she didnt have a bag or wallet, her hands were empty. Still with that prim look she lifts a folded dollar bill out of the hollow at the center of her nubbled pink top. (Updike 1027). As he sees her doing this, he is completely in utter shock and surprised. And after this event, thats when the story truly does get interesting. Lengel the manager of the store, and also a church teacher walks in the store and sees the three young ladies. Girls, this isnt the beach is what Lengel says to the girls (Updike 1028). Queenie quickly responds by clearing out that her mother had sent her for the item (Saldivar 221). Sammy felt hat what he said was unnecessary and inappropriate, however he stayed quiet and watched. Once the disagreement between the girls and Lengel began, Sammy begins to think(Thompson 216). And he sees a vision of what Queenie life is, and imagines her social status. Queenie had become for Sammy a form of what he felt was power (Saldivar 221). After Lengel and the girls finish their argument, Sammy quickly bags Queenies item. As the girl begins to walk away, sammy realizes he wants to be this heroic person and immediately says l quit to Lengel quick enough or them to hear. However, the girls did not hear his heroic act, and leave the store. However, I dont think he did this because he cares about how the manager made the girls feels, but as a way to impress the girls and get someone out of it. After realizing him quitting didnt do anything for him, he still went through with hit. The manager says Sammy, you dont want to do this to your Mom and Dad, (Updike 1029) which is true he doesnt he doesnt. However Sammy admits what he is doing is dumb and ays it seems to me that once you begin a gesture its fatal not to go through with 1029). This describes Sammys regret towards his actions of quitting, and immatureness. In this story you can see how the character develops a hate toward his Job, and how he realizes he isnt going anywhere by working in this store. He also has an option of either staying or leaving, and yet he stills decides to leave, even though his attempt to get the girls attention fails And I ask to myself, what if the girls would of gone to the other cashier, would of Sammy still quit? In my opinion, I think Sammys decision to quit was foolish. Not Just because he was trying to impress girls but because he wasnt thinking of his family, and the consequences. I also agree with Lengel the manager of the store, if a girl walks into a public place with Just a bathing suit, it is like practically walking naked. The society we live in today might not care about girls walking around their bathing suits, but in the 1960s I believe something like that was never seen. I dont think that quitting his Job for some girls that he didnt even know was worth it.