Better Decisions, Better Life Essay

John Updike, who is known for his brainy prose style and the sensual details in his stories, takes every solar day tasks and gives a entire overbold perspective to it. Like in A& deoxyadenosine monophosphateP, which is a narrative from the perspective of a nineteen-year-old boy working in the check stunned line. heretofore though Sammy is just an average boy, whatsoeverthing significant happens that day at the grocery barge in store. The story revolves around Sammys journey from adolescence to adulthood and his resignation from the job at the grocery store marks the study change. Even though Sammys conscience disagrees with his ratiocination, his need to escape the monotony of his life drives him to take it. The author uses various symbols to present a step-by-step progression into Sammys decision in the end.As a young boy in a town in Boston in the 60s, Sammy did not have much going on for himself his responsibility was to draw in rough money to manage the household expenses. For his he had to work at the grocery store. His co-worker Stokesie, who is solo three long time older than him, is conjoin and has two children. He hopes to become the manager of the grocery store and is the scarce other co-worker mentioned in the story. Sammy obviously feels a strong linkup with Stokesie, as they both eye the bikini clad girls together. Also, he mentions that the simply difference he can tell between Stokesie and himself is the number of years they are apart (Updike 531). But from the tone in which Sammy talks just some Stokesie, it is easy to see that he does not respect his co-worker as much. Instead he feels as though he is looking into a mirror of the future and he lives a life similar to Stokesies. Updikes intention was to portray Stokesie as the future reflection of Sammy.Although when the girls enter the grocery store dressed skimpily, they present Sammy with a whole new world. Sammy says you neer know for sure how girls minds work, instea d he imagines it to be a little buzz like a bee in a glaze over jar (Updike 530). He observes little details about all of these girls and ranks them on the basis of his perception. The two girls he gives the position of followers were not devoted much thought, except for their swim conciliate coloring materials and their build. However, the girl that he ranked as the hireer, or the Queenie, received most of his attention. Other than the color of her hair and bikini, he mentions how there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her (Updike 530). Also, he notices that she held her head so high that her neck looked stretched, but he did not mind that because that meant the more(prenominal) of her there was (Updike 530). This shows that Sammy is extremely intrigued by the girls, especially Queenie, that the more he could sample her, the more satisfied he would be. She was something different from his everyday experiences.The colors describe are significant to the theme of the story. The girls were described to be wearing plaid green, bright green and beige bikinis (Updike 529,530). They are presented as a seam to the dull colors of the store. These bright colors represent a vivid and unknown province. Also, the floor of the grocery store is a checker board green-and-cream. Even though these colors are close to the colors of the girls bathing suits, the checkerboard pattern dissolves the radiance of these colors against the curiosity in the girls itself. This was a new event in Sammys life.After all, a grocery store check-out clerk does a job such as this mostly out of necessity. Evidently Sammy has grown tired of rude customers. He describes one remote female customer as a witch about 50 with rogue on her cheekbones and no eyebrows (Updike 529) when she caught him swiping one of her items twice. Sammy felt as though it pleased her to correct him. He imagines people who come shopping at A&P to be sad souls. He desc ribes some other female customers as houseslaves in pin curlers (Updike 531). Also, he designates the customers at the grocery store sheeps while narrating the story. He seems to address the herd humour that people tend to have to stick together when theres trouble. Clearly, he doesnt look up to this cowardly behavior. He complains about this since the beginning of the story. However in the end he changes this attitude.Not only the customers and Stokesie, but Sammy does not respect the manager either. Although he has never been vocal music about it, Sammy mocks Lengel in his head and accuses him of hiding behind the door label Manager all day (Updike 532).This shows Lengels gutless personality. When Lengel walks in on the girls checking out, he asserts his authority and lets them know that they must dress appropriately in the store (Updike 532). It was the last straw for Sammy and he quits his job, even by and by Lengel warns him about it (Updike 533). Lengels warning further sh ows that he has always interpreted the safer way and thats why he has never been able to concentrate up for his beliefs. Sammy did not want to be someone like Lengel, so he decides to break free.When Sammy stands up for the girls, a part of him did expect some appreciation from them. But the underlying reason is much bigger than a simple Thank you. It is about his freedom from the routine lifestyle that he was getting used to. Continuing the life he had would eventually lead to the same monotonous life that Stokesie and Lengel had. Also, Sammys course of action changes with the story. In the beginning he would complain about the people he came across and worked with, but he had not ever taken any(prenominal) step to change that. Quitting the job was the major step that would change his life. Although, he may not have a stable job anymore, this decision has definitely made him a better person.Work CitedUpdike, John. A&P. 1961. Approaching Literature Writing + Reading + Thinking . Ed. PeterSchakel and Jack Ridl. second ed. Boston Bedford, 2008. 529-534. Print.