North American Society Relected in John Updike's Short Story A & P

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North American Society Relected in John Updike's Short Story A & P

At first glance, John Updike's short story A & P seems to be another coming of age piece. But with taking a deeper look, in many ways you see how the A & P grocery store could be viewed as microcosm of North American society in the 1960's - and it's not a very positive portrait. The general bleakness of the people, the accepted coldness of the store itself, and the theme of class consciousness throughout the entire story causes you to really see how this story parallels society and many peoples, especially young peoples, views in North America during this turbulent time of policy, rules, conservatism, and some of the actions taken against them.

The store and the people paint a picture of an oppressively conservative and narrow-minded America based on policy before people, and rules of the corporation. You can either follow policy, or be labeled as a delinquent "Policy is what the kingpins want. What the others want is juvenile delinquency" (856). On several occasions the customers are referred to as "sheep" and as "scared pigs in a chute" (856); indeed they are processed facelessly though the checkout and the "electronic eye." Sammy goes even further to dehumanize them, and makes them seem devoid of spirit and individuality "I bet you could set off dynamite in an A & P and the people would by and large keep reaching and checking off their lists and muttering..." (854). He even starts to dehumanize himself by the repetitive, mindless routine noise of the cash register "bing, gung, splat" (856) It makes everything seem like a part if the system; nothing goes unnoticed, everything is in line and the policies are enforced.

Another thing which lends a han...

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Sammy quitting the A & P was his way of standing up against the typical North American society of `policy before people' attitudes and taking action. And though minute, his quitting was a small step against oppression and conservatism that is ever present in society. This was his way of fighting back. He thought that his quitting would shine through as a heroic deed to the upper class girls, and they would see him in a different light, "their unsuspected hero" (857). Unfortunately, when he walks out side into the fresh and alive sun he has no spoils "I look around for my girls, but they are gone, of course" (857), and at that point he realizes that just because you stand up for something doesn't make you a hero, and it definitely does not promise glory.

Bibliography:

Updike, John. "A & P.' Pigeon Feathers and Other Stories. New York: Knopf, 1969. 187-96.

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