Question: John Updike’s “A&P” - 1. Why is the title of this short story “A & P”? Would another title have worked just as well or is this one somehow appropriate to the story?

10. Look closely at Mr. Lengel’s reaction to Sammy’s resignation. Lengel says that Sammy will “always feel this.” Sammy agreed with Mr. Lengel. What does that mean? Do you think that Sammy will really never forget this? Why or why not? What do you think Sammy will remember [or have learned] from this incident some years down the road?

11. Discuss the relationships of “POWER” in the short story “A&P.” For example, the relationship of power at the supermarket itself is that there is a hierarchy of management from those at the very “top” to those at the very “bottom.” Look at all the characters in the story and decide where their “power” lies within the scheme of the story. What/who does each character (or set of characters) have power over (their responsibilities) and who/what has power over them (their superiors)? What power(s) do the customers have in the A&P?

12. It might be said that “A&P” is something of a modern-day “fairy-tale.” Would you agree with this assessment? (Stereotype Characters) Who would the “prince,” the “princess,” the “dragon,” etc. be in “A&P” Be creative and think of as many analogies as you can. What are the similarities to “A&P” and a typical fairy-tale? How are they different (for example, the final outcome)? Is Sammy chivalric (means having the idealistic qualities of a knight in the medieval times of chivalry)?

13. (Conflict) Consider the possibility that Updike might have contrasted the indoor world of the A&P where Sammy and his co-workers “existed” (synthetic, artificial) with the outdoor world from where the girls came in (natural). Be creative, but try to point out examples from the text, and show how these two “worlds” differ. For example, you might think about the fake, fluorescent lights in the store and the “real” sun outside that can give someone “sunburn.” Like Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” is there a difference/contrast between the world “inside” the A&P and the outside world?

14. In Literature, a work like “A&P” is called a “coming-of-age” story. It usually suggests a loss of innocence or an “epiphany” that leads to maturity. Sometimes this means accepting responsibility (and becoming more like an adult). Think back on either books or films that you have experienced either in or out of this class that might have the “coming-of-age” theme. Make a list and share it with the class, e.g., Pretty in Pink, Stand by Me, Stealing Beauty, etc. Finally, consider the protagonist of “A&P” and the “change” that occurs in his character; decide why a label like “coming-of-age” is (or isn’t) appropriate to this story.