University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras

Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico

College of General Department
English Department




Essay 1
INGL 3104 SCETION 119
Professor Smith


Harold E. Reyes Vizcarrondo

April 19, 2012




1. In A&P, one of the major themes is choices and consequences. Analyze this theme in the
story and how this theme influences the characterization of Sammy and Lengel. In your
analysis, include specific passages from the story to support your statements.




John Updike shows us in A&P a lesson for life. Decisions and consequences is the theme of this
short story. People are facing all the time moments when they have to make choices and when
they face those moments, is in a little period of time. These decisions are to be make, and
sometimes the consequences are not the best one, at least in the first impression. What we do in
such consequences is what matters the most.

The story A&P show us a situation where is represented a time when a choice has been taken and
consequences take a big step in our life. The protagonist of this decision is Sammy, who is
shocked by the vestment of three young ladies in an A&P store and the specific beauty of one of
them, Queenie. Lengel, the manager of the store encounters the three girls manners inconvenient
and out of the policy of the store. Sammy seeing that Lengel argues with the girls, take a step and
tell him that he will quit, and he does but none of the girls hear him and he pass to be an
unsuspected hero. Sammy at the end of the story says that the world was going to be harder to
him after that decision.

Is true that Sammy decision was fast make and cost him his job but it goes with what his ideals
are. In the time to make a choice people normally obscure what they really think and do what
other people want them to do. Thats not the case with Sammy. He takes the courage and take a
decision of quit of his job for what he believes and do not regretted. That makes of him a
firmness person and a role model to the society.





Sammy actions deserve a lot of credit, the same with people that had that courage in the past and
receive a credit for that, for example Abraham Lincoln a president who change the course of a
country. Sammy type of choices are not just simple decisions, they are a movement, a liberal
one. People like Lengel are conservative that like to follow rules and do not want changes, in
contrast the protagonist promote a new thinking. If people that take conflicting choices and
support a liberal thinking did not exist, our world would not be like we know it today. Sammy is
a young man who does not think in a conservative way.
Sammy decision could be taken like a mere decision about a pretty girl that he wants to help and
get something back of her, but it starts with that simple interest and then turn to a revolutionary
idea, it always star like that. Why people cannot go to a store with a bikini being your close?
Why not? That is not such a sensate idea, but at least is an idea and Sammy did not like the way
the manager from A&P treat a customer because had a bikini suit in a store.

The consequences on Sammy decision went hard on him, what he lost in that moment was a big
part of him, what happen with people in a similar situation. People always see the worst part
first, but they also have to look to the good side of the situation. Sammy resembles the young
thinking, a revolutionary thinking in the good way. People should defend what they think is right
, and if some entity are uncomfortable with your ideas, you may should go from that entity,
because at that right moment you are not part of them and is still better for both the entity and
you, the decision to resign. This is what Sammy does and at the same time makes a favor to
Lengel, which has no guilty in this case, he just follows rules.

John Updike, make a story with a lesson in it, and a situation that can be put on debate. The
decisions are a big part of our life and A&P story remarks it. People, especially young ones can
learned from this situation been viewers. Opinions may be many and all with a different point of
view but is important to be as objective as possible to make sure to be impartial in your opinion.
That opinion that you have and also the education you may have is was it going to determine
your decision making. When making a decision what is important is to make thinking in what is
right for you.