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John Updike is viewed as one of the best writers in present-day American history. He is known for the idea that common parts of American life can be very captivating. He desired for the audience to see the excellence and enchantment of life, so he attempted to depict ordinary things utilizing the clearest yet wonderful language conceivable. A significant number of Updike's pieces are drawn from his very own life. Updike’s story method is investigated through the examination of plot structure, irony, and characterization. John Updike’s short story 'A&P' utilizes irony and Sammy’s immature behavior to convey the universal idea that romantic notions can be crushed by the real world.
In the short story 'A&P', the use of irony is exhibited when Sammy's heroic deed goes unrewarded. In fact, not only does his deed go unrewarded, it negatively affects his life. Although Sammy quits with good intentions in mind, his act of heroism ultimately backfires on him. Not only does he not get any appreciation from the girls, but he is also a working-class kid who is now unemployed, and he likely upsets his parents. After realizing the magnitude of his decision to quit, Sammy decides to still follow through with it: “It seems to me that once you begin a gesture it's fatal to not go through with it” (Updike, 21). The irony being used is related to the theme because Sammy ultimately quits not only for moral reasons but also for romantic reasons, evident in his desire to talk to the girls. His romantic notions are crushed by reality when the girls walk out of the store, unappreciative. No matter how romantic he is, there is no escaping the reality that they are from two different worlds and nothing could ever work out between them, due to different societal roles and upbringings.
Updike portrays Sammy’s immature behavior by showing how he doesn’t think about his actions just to catch the girls’ attention. For instance, this quote “'Sammy, you don't want to do this to your Mom and Dad', he tells me... 'You'll feel this for the rest of your life', Lengel says, and I know that's true, too, but remembering how he made that pretty girl blush makes me so scrunchy inside” (Updike, 21) shows Sammy’s unconscious desire to be liked by the girls. He wants to be the hero in the situation, but ironically, he is not rewarded and loses his job. He risks a lot for these girls who do not even turn around. They leave the store so quickly they don't notice what Sammy has done. Sammy's heroic actions do not give him the recognition that he was looking for. The girls are clearly more affluent than Sammy and his coworker. They come into the store and aren't wearing the appropriate clothing. “The girls were walking against the usual traffic (not that we have one-way signs or anything)” (Updike, 18). The quote explains that walking in the opposite direction of the other shoppers suggests the girls believe they are better than everyone else. The girls go against what they are expected to do. This and Sammy’s naivety influence him to defend their actions, no matter the consequences, just to be noticed by the girls.
In conclusion, Updike effectively conveys the universal idea that romantic notions are often crushed by the real world through a teenage boy who experiences an ironic situation and a life-changing decision taken by his immature self at a grocery store where he was employed. Sammy believes he is being heroic when in reality he’s acting foolish, illustrating how a romanticized perception of reality can only be crushed and lead to disappointment.
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