Introduction This essay is an analysis of John Updike’s “A&P” and its main character, Sammy, in particular. Sammy’s life changes with one incidence at the A&P grocery store. Three young girls walk into the store dressed in bikinis and attract people’s attention. His vivid description of the store puts the girls in sharp contrast with the store, which appears to be a slow place. The events in the story change Sammy’s outlook of life, and he grows from a fantasizing teenager to a man who understands life’s reality. This transition from youth to adulthood is the main theme that Updike wanted to develop in “A&P” short story. The analysis of this transformation is presented below. The Beginning: Sammy’s World Sammy’s world is not open. Through a relaxed and casual tone, Sammy explains his work and experience at the store. The setting of A&P is at a small grocery store, and one can conclude that it is the wrong place for this young man. He works in a small grocery store where he sits checking customers’ purchases all day. The work at A&P is very monotonous and does not encourage Sammy to be creative such that his mind wanders off, and he rings a customer’s item twice. From Sally’s point of view, his job is sometimes so dull that he can hear songs from the cash register. Becoming a manager is the best that he can hope for in his current position. Moreover, Sammy is unhappy at his place of work, and he is glad when the three girls walk in and take the mind of his work and away from his small and closed world. He desires a different kind of life that is represented by the three girls who are clearly from another social divide. Sammy comes from a lower social class, and the beauty of the girls makes him desire to have the kind of life they have. For example, they even dare to go to the store in bikinis in apparent disregard of the norms of this small town. They are free from the rules, and Sammy wishes to gain such freedom that is not in his little world. A&P: Literary Analysis of Sally’s Transformation On the other hand, the incidence with the three girls transforms Sammy. To begin with, he changes from an immature teen drooling over girls in bath suits. When the girls walk in, he enjoys them and jokes about them with his colleague Stokesia. However, he changes his perception of the girls and gets annoyed when McMahon checks them out. He is offended and feels pity for them; he now sees them as human beings and not only sex objects. He sees himself in McMahon, who objectifies the girls “patting his mouth and looking after them sizing up their joints” (J.Updike 1). Through the author’s use of first-person narration, Sammy finds chivalry and transforms from an admirer to a protector of the girls. Also, he transforms and learns to take control. Sammy is unhappy with the way Lengel, the manager treats the girls and embarrasses them. He takes control of the situation by standing up for the girls. Sammy tells the manager off and goes ahead to quit from his position. His decision to leave is irrational because he does it for the girls who do not recognize his ‘heroic’ deed for them as they walk away. Sammy does not get the girls as he had expected he would by defending them; however, by fighting for them, he does it for himself and ga