John Upike A & P
Three teenage girls wearing only bathing suit entered an A & P supermarket. Sammy who is the cashier working in the A & P was watching the girls and name the one who appears to be the leader "Queenie" because of her arrogant and regal behavior. The girls wanted to buy Kingfish Fancy Herring Snacks in Pure Sour Sauce. The manager, Lengel, scold the girls as they approach the register for coming into the store and they were improperly dressed . When Sammy saw that "Queenie" was upset, he told his manager that he did not have to embarrassed the girls. Lengel responded that the girls were the ones who embarrassed him and the town at large by flaunting their bodies. Because of lengel's response, Sammy quits his job with immediate effect. He was trying to defend "Queenie's honor. "Queenie" didn't notice what Sammy did, as a matter of fact no one appreciate his gesture and he lost his job and gained nothing in return.
I dont think queenie was necessarily being arrogant, she ever pleaded to Lengel that they were decent people. I just think she possess somewhat of a high level of confidence with might be attributed to Sammy's imagination. without knowing a single thing about her, he projects an entire life onto her. Upon reading the story again .... i think queenie was more so vision of the life that sammy longed for, so Lengel scolding the girls was inturn scolding Sammy's future vision of himself.
ReplyDelete