J&P essay "John Updike"

J&P essay "John Updike"

 When Sammy quits his job in John Updike’s “A & P” he feels that he stood up for what he believes in. Sammy took a stand for his generation and has shown he will support the youth movement that was being outlawed by the older generations at all costs. “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.” These words spoken by Alexander Hamilton signify the moral of this story and I agree with Sammy and believe that todays youth should flourish in society without repercussion.
Older people that grew up in a different generation than Sammy may think that he is a womanizer but, I see him as a normal 19-year-old boy. Is it right? Maybe not, but when you’re a 19 year old boy its hard not to listen to what your hormones tell you. As soon as the girls walk into the store he categorizes them by what they are wearing, their facial features, and their body types. His eyes wander down each of the aisles just waiting for the girls to pop out which would give him a chance to show himself. He uses his job as a way to meet new people, which is what most teens do on the job. This past summer I worked at Subway and every chance I got to talk to a girl I found attractive I took the opportunity. He finds these girls attractive so at the end of their shopping experience when they run into trouble with his manager he feels obligated to stand up for them and make himself known. By standing up for the girls he is also standing up for his generation and saying that the youth movement is not a bad thing.
He transitions from staring at these girls to sympathizing and taking their side as he stands up to his manager by saying “what they are doing is not bothering anyone in the store”. By standing up to his manager he has shown that he is standing up for his generation and their rights. He discusses with the girls that they don’t need to worry about the manager and that they are not doing anything wrong. Lengel then addresses the girls and says they are not allowed to shop in...

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