Because their shoulders are bare, they are disciplined by the manager for flaunting authority. Their rebellion is short and meaningless, but the cashier's rebellion is absolute, because he quits his job, but it is meaningless as well. Thus, Updike shows that teen rebellion is often misguided and does not accomplish anything in the end. The conflict in the story is Jim's argument with his boss. He says, "You didn't have to embarrass them," and his boss replies, "It was they who were embarrassing us" (Updike 195). It is a very basic conflict between authority and freedom, and Sammy chooses freedom, because he knows that elementarily he is right. The girls caused no harm, and there was no need to call further attention to them. However, Sammy's conflict with his manager is much more permanent than the girl's conflict. They are already gone and forgotten, while Sammy is not, and may regret his hasty decision. In fact, he thinks to himself at the end of the story, "[M]y stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter" (Updike 196). Sammy has learned a lesson from his rebellion, while it is questionable that the girls learned anything at all. Thus, the conflict has ended for them, but it will certainly continue for Sammy, which is part of the theme of the story, as well.

The resolution of the story is Sammy's leaving the store and seeing the girls did not even know of his actions. He begins to question the wisdom of his choice right away, and he seems to mature instantly, because he realizes that the world is going...

He is not a boy anymore, and his choice has made that clear. He tried to impress some girls and changed his life in the process. Thus, the resolution shows that rebellion can lead to change, but perhaps not the change that was anticipated to begin with. Sammy's rebellion is meaningless to the girls, and their brief rebellion is meaningless to anyone else in the store but Sammy. Therefore, the story weaves all the elements of a short story together to end with a message. Those are all important elements of every good short story, and "A&P" certainly fits into that category. In addition, the story is still relevant today. Instead of bathing suits, today's girls could be covered in tattoos and Mohawk hairdos. They would still be reprimanded in some locations, and a brave cashier might quit his job in an attempt to make a statement. The elements are the same; it is only the characters that need to change to make this story current all over again.
In conclusion, all the elements of a short story are contained in this brief encounter in the A&P, from characterization, to plot, theme, conflict, and resolution. The story is concise, but the elements are well thought out and they all work together to make this a classic short story studied in English classes for decades, and still relevant in a changing world.

References

Updike, John. Pigeon Feathers, and Other Stories. 1st ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962.