Explication Essay of aP by John Updike - 1067 Words

Essay 1-Explication Essay of Aamp;P by John Updike We have all had that moment of clarity when we realize, no longer children, our decisions can greatly impact the course of our future. Aamp;P gives an insight into the main character’s realization of how he perceives his life, the lives of those around him, and how with one impulsive decision he forever changed the course of his life. Sammy, the narrator of Aamp;P, is a 19 year old boy whose assumption of others, dislike of conformity, and his rash decision making exemplify teenage discovery, that our actions impact our future. Sammy’s assumption of others is immature and serves only as a distraction from his self-distain. He describes, in great detail, the three girls who enter†¦show more content†¦He portrays them as sheep with the inability to stray from their monotonous routines. â€Å"The sheep pushing their carts down the aisles-â€Å", â€Å"I bet you could set off dynamite in the Aamp;P and the people would by and large keep reaching and checking oatmeal off their lists.† [386]. He views each day as predictable with nothing to look forward to. That is why when these girls entered the store it was a sight to behold. It was the abrupt change in the daily conformity that Sammy so desperately wanted. â€Å"The store’s pretty empty, it being a Thursday afternoon, so there was nothing to do except lean on the register and wait for the girls to show up again.† [387]. He changed that day, from a teenage boy with immature daydreams about girls, to an adult. It was beca use of the insight he depicted from these girls. When the manager, Lengel, embarrasses the girls for their lack of clothing, it upsets Sammy. He then chooses to quit. He reasons it is the right choice, concluding it is the adult thing to do. To stand-up for what is right, and to voice his disagreement with Lengel at his attempt in humiliating the girls. â€Å"-but remembering how he made that pretty girl blush makes me so scrunch inside I punch the No Sale tab and the machine whirls â€Å"pee-pul† and the drawer splats out.† [388]. He concedes that the conformity of these people and the â€Å"day to day† routine is unacceptable, especially when it makes you feel superior,Show MoreRelatedBusiness and Management2600 Words   |  11 Pagesdifferent depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Barnet, S., Cain, W.E., Burto, W. (2011). Literature for composition: Essays, stories, poems, and plays (9th ed.). New York, NY: Longman. All electronic materials are available on the student website. |Week One: Elements of Literature—Stories