John Updike's AandP

John Updike's A&P

John Updike's short story "A&P" mingles themes of sexuality, identity, and conformity. "A&P" is surprisingly complex, given its length. At the outset, the story seems like a peek at a young boy's frustrated sexuality. He describes the scantily-clad girls with curiosity, as an observer of social status and body language. A large portion of "A&P" is devoted solely to the lyrical descriptions of the three girls, their lack of clothing, the color of their skin, their heights, and their interactions with each other. Larry is attracted to them, but more than that, he wants to know their stories: why they entered the convenience store dressed in bathing suits when the nearest beach is five miles away. By noticing the items they select and the aisles they choose to walk down, Larry forms a personal impression of the girls. However, the narrator also addresses them as nonconformists, as people who don't fit in. Their shocking dress breaks common norms and codes of behaviors, yet the girls don't seem to be deliberately flaunting themselves sexually. Rather, their attitude appears innocent. Thus, Larry "began to feel sorry for them" when he and the other male employees ogle the trio.

The three girls become symbols for Larry, representatives of individuality, uniqueness, and self-expression. First he hones in on the "chunky" kid, already indicating that her shape deviates from the norms of beauty. Larry likes her "can," and has no problem with her being a little heavier than the other girls. Moreover, she is the only one of the three in a two-piece, significant considering her weight. She is obviously proud of her body; she flaunts it not because she wants to provoke men but because she has no reason to be ashamed. Furthermore, her bathing suit is a glaring color, indicating that she is definitely not shy or intimidated by attention.

Larry becomes fascinated with the group dynamic as much as he is with their clothing. He notices that one of the girls is the queen bee, the leader of the pack. He watches how she naturally assumes her position of leadership, based on her body language and the reactions of the other two girls. "Queenie," as he calls her, becomes Larry's next object of attention after the chunky kid. He doesn't pay much attention to the tall girl.

It is obvious that the A&P market is located in a traditional New England town or suburb near Boston. The narrator mentions the Congregational Church, the newspaper store, and Central Street. Thus, "A&P" provides some insight into this subculture and Updike offers a degree of social commentary in his short story. The grumpy lady at the beginning of the tale and the other customers represent conformity and traditional values. Part of the theme of "A&P" is the conflict between these values and those of a changing society, represented by the young girls. Larry begins to contemplate this conflict as he observes the trio.

Larry, who is at the critical age of nineteen, navigates between societal norms and his own identity. As he emerges from adolescence, he seeks to throw off all that which stands in the way of his self-expression. However, Larry is unaware of this until he is faced with the decision to quit. Sticking up for the girls is his way of becoming a man. He stands up to authority, acts on principle, and does so with an air of confidence and maturity. When he quits, it seems like a rash and hasty move, which is why Lengel offers him a chance to retract his words. However, Larry knows that "once you begin a gesture it's fatal not to go through with it." To do otherwise would be to go backwards, to refuse to grow. Larry's choice to quit is based on his desire to grow. Although he mainly wants to impress Queenie and her group by being their "unsuspected hero," Larry learns a fundamental lesson about himself and life in general.

Lengel symbolizes the rigidity of tradition, the unwavering adherence to "policy." As Larry walks away from the "A&P," he notices Lengel is "stiff, as if he'd just had an injection of iron." He is also described as "old and gray." On the other hand, the language Updike uses to describe the girls is the opposite: Queenie's hands are the "smoothest scoops of vanilla I had ever known before." The girls' exposed flesh is soft, supple, and fresh. The three girls in their bathing suits don't just defy dress codes, they defy social norms. Larry realizes that their dress might be inappropriate for the occasion, but that their harmless act did not warrant shame and embarrassment.