John Updike's story "A&P" is about a 19 year old boy, Sammy, who works at the local grocery store, A&P. Sammy works at the cash register at the store and is always watching people come in and out every day. On this particular day in which the story takes place, Sammy is taken by surprise when a group of girls enter the store wearing only their bathing suits. This caught Sammy's attention because the nearest beach is five miles away and he couldn't understand why they were still in suits. Sammy continues to neglect the girls in the store during their attempts to pick up some items they were sent for. As they wander around the store, Sammy observes the other customers' reactions, gets scolded for calling out a women's item twice, and observes the girls' whereabouts and gestures until it's time to pay. Once the girls proceed to the checkout, they are approached by the store manager because they were dressed inappropriately in public. Sammy finds the meeting with the manager to be pointless and inconvenient for the girls and decides it's time to quit her job. Sammy's decision to quit his job at the supermarket shows his development from an immature teenager to a person who will stand up for what he believes in, regardless of the consequences. Sammy's immaturity is evident from the beginning of the story when he says, "Three girls come in wearing only bathing suits" (Updike 596). At first Sammy couldn't see them walking around the store because his back was to the door, but once he had them in sight he immediately began to illustrate them and notice every physical detail of each of the girls, from their skin tone to the color of their tracksuits. He and his other friends who work at... middle of paper ......act immature, looking at girls as they hang around the store. But as time goes by he starts to grow up and realizes that he doesn't have to be like everyone else and starts making his own decisions. Start by liking girls and not just by looking at their appearance. Then confront his boss and tell him that he doesn't like the way he treats girls. In the end Sammy quits his job and takes a stand for what he believes is right, not what others think is right for him. This demonstrates his growth in maturing and making his own rational decisions, regardless of the consequences that may arise. Works Cited Magill, Frank N. Critical Survey of Short Fiction. vol. 6. Pasadena, California: Salem Press, 1993.Updike, John. "A&P." Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Mayer. 6th edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2002.