A&p Essay

I chose to write about the short story “A&P.” The story takes place in a small town in the late 60’s, in a vacation town of sorts with a general store, few residents. What I received from the setting, was a very low maintenance town where “everybody knows everybody” (very tight community) most likely old school beliefs and structures (religion, dress code, ethics, morals, ext…strict) and for a short time tourists come to live for a while, and in a sense shake up the foundation of the town a bit with their outside beliefs and values.

Well Sammy, the main character, is nineteen and has or had, as I should say after reading the story, a job working as a check-out clerk at the local A&P. (Alexadrov and Petrooshki Tea Company) When one day all hell breaks loose as three scantily clad young women strut into the store to buy Fancy Herring in Pure Sour Cream- 49cents, which is another big indication of the time, the prices of goods and also what people were buying. During this time “Stokesie” is introduced to us as the other cashier that is three years older than Sammy. (22) Well Sammy and Stokesie are overwhelmed with emotions as soon as they lay eyes on these ladies. Which I understand what is going being a guy/man and living in sort of a small town myself, where you know all the girls and their either taken or you just are not interested.

Then suddenly one random day a beautiful woman walks into work/school/a party that no one has seen before and your thoughts begin to start racing around your head and your heart rate increases a little bit. All you can think of is “Wow, I have got to talk to her.” Sometimes we(men) over think like it states in the story, “Stokesie’s married, with two babies chalked up in his head already,” even though he has never met them, talked to them, know anything about the girls at all. But yet he is already thinking about marrying these women.

Even Sammy, quits his job over them. Because during the last section of the story the old grey store manager/owner, confronts the young ladies on what they were wearing although legal, in this time and date and in such a small, I’m guessing Bible belt town, was jus plain awful to him almost embarrassing I would say, for these women to flaunt their “extremities.” It was not clear what set the manager off but the women were told to quickly pay and leave. During this argument between the primped and polished girls and the old grey dusty store manager Sammy very bravely stands up, from what I believe to impress these women and to show them that he can not only stand up for them but stand up to his superior, risk his job, and make a scene. For What?! Just for them to walk out of the store never to look back, never to show appreciation, and never to see Sammy again. Hell of a first impression if you ask