The young ladies in their swimming outfits order consideration with their sexual force. Lengel’s appearance as a male position figure who likewise addresses society’s guidelines changes the force dynamic. It makes Queenie lose a portion of her self-assurance briefly (Updike, 1961). Thus, the phrase about luck running out relates to the girls losing their power and being forced to leave the store.
It likewise implies the completion of karma for Sammy as he attempts to show uniqueness by stopping. Nonetheless, Sammy is left alone in the parking area as the young ladies are gone (Updike, 1961). In this way, the phrase quite accurately describes the changing power between the characters. It also represents Sammy staying with no job and a chance of being a hero in front of Queenie.
Age and Statuses
The storyteller, Sammy, is in between adulthood and youthfulness. He can identify with the young ladies when they face authority and notice and go about as their far-fetched protector since he is a couple of years more established. In any case, he still reports to his parents on his actions (Updike, 1961). Lengel reminds Sammy about them to get him to rethink his quitting. Sammy’s colleague, Stokesie, is just three years older and has a wife and two children.
As Sammy approaches adulthood, he needs to confront the outcomes of his activities all the more straightforwardly. Only a couple of years older than the three girls, Sammy identifies with them due to their youth. Sammy’s impulsive demonstration portrays his association with the girls. As he faces the results of his activities, he understands that he is not as young as them and should reply to the outcomes as an adult.
The Setting
One of the significant components of the setting in Updike’s brief tale is the time frame. In the 1960s, A&P was an image of American consumerism. It was a vast enterprise that sold an assortment of products. Women were strictly subject to conformity, and when sexism flourished. Sammy and the young ladies in swimming outfits address resistance to the restrictions.
The setting of A&P also addresses class and social pressures between ordinary local people and upper-working class travelers. For example, the herring snacks show that Queenie comes from a higher class, far off to his insight (Updike, 1961). Therefore, the setting addresses pressures between common people and tourists.
Reference
Updike, J. (1961). A & P. New York: The Pigeon Feathers Publishers.