Although Short, John Updikes a & P Is Big On Enjoyment :: essays research papers

Although Short, John Updikes "A & P" is Big on Enjoyment     I enjoy stories that are long and involved. However, the short story"A & P" by John Updike is a wonderful exception to this rule. Updike writesthe story from a viewpoint of what I believe to be a younkerer, more contemporaryperson. The story contains many other enjoyable attributes, such as thecomments about young girls flesh. I found the story to be a good read andalthough I typically dont like stories that are short and uninvolved, I wasable to top a lot of enjoyment from this work.     The story begins with little-to-no foreshadowing and doesnt enlightenthe reader until about half way through the piece. All of the sudden, thereader is cast into an "A & P" grocery store in what I would deem to be thelate 1950s. Although undocumented, the writer gives details that point to thistime period. I didnt speculate I would enjoy the story because it does nt providemuch background information on anything. However, as I began to read the storyI was able to compel background information of my own which changed my opinionabout the story altogether.     I found the work to be enjoyable in other ways as well. I got theimpression that the main character was a younger fellow. His comments andactions sounded more immature than mature, so I was able to relate more closelyto the work. I found that there were many thought processes that are similar toan adolescent boys, rather than to a more experienced adult. A good example ofthis foundation be seen toward the end of paragraph 2 when he gives his interpretationof what happens in a girls mind. He makes a simile to a bee buzzing in a glassjar. A mature person would never make a statement that is so thoughtless. Ienjoyed it real much.     Im able to make a fewer emotional connections to Sammy, the maincharacter, as well.. In the story, there are many cl ues that point to him as agirl watcher / admirer. I tend to think that all gentlemen at that age andmaturity level feel similar ways toward the opposite sex. In the passage,"...you know, the kind of girl the other girls think is very striking andattractive but never quite makes it, as they very well know, which is why they