Ince
Rachel Ince
Mrs. Hudler
English 1302-14
19 February 2003
The Conflict in “A&P” by John Updike
After reading John Updike’s short story “A&P,” one can easily see conflict interwoven throughout the story. Specifically, the main argument is between the two ideals of conformity and nonconformity. Furthermore, these ideals can be depicted by three smaller conflicts: the store and Sammy, the customers and the girls, and Lengel and the girls.
To begin, the main setting, the store, embodies structure and conformity. After all, the store has rules, a manager, organization, and a way of being. For instance, the setting is located in a small town with very little change. The rules and norms that are set are held highly by the locals in this small community. This, in turn, explains the structure within the store and in the minds of the townspeople. Throughout Sammy’s descriptions of the store, the reader feels a sense of dislike and nonconformity in his character. Sammy opposes the store’s structure with his thoughts and perceptions leading up to quitting near the end of the story. For example, Sammy views his work area as a “slot”: a small, confined place where he is stationed to stay put throughout his shift (14).
