Motif of Play in John Updikes AP Essay - 1050 Words

The Motif of Play in A P In the short story A P the author, John Updike, uses the motif of play as one of the main means by which he develops the character of Sammy, the nineteen-year-old narrator and protagonist of the story. In his many and varied references to play, Sammy reveals, along with his obvious immaturity, his rich imagination and potential for possible growth. The story takes place in the summertime of 1960 on a Thursday afternoon. Sammy is employed at the A P grocery store located in the middle of a town north of Boston, about five miles from the beach. Along with Sammy, the other characters involved in this story are three girls shopping in the A P in their bathing suits, whom Sammy names Plaid,†¦show more content†¦In another example, Sammy calls a customer buying four giant cans of pineapple juice an old party in baggy gray pants and a bum (p.35). On another occasion, he refers to customers as scared pigs in a chute (p.36) after they become flustered at being in his check-out line when he suddenly quits his job in front of them. The generation gap is quite apparent in all of these passages, at least on Sammys part. We see a good example of Sammys immature machismo after he watches the three girls walk barefoot through the store in their bathing suits. He states, You never know for sure how girls minds work (do you really think its a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?) (p.33). His appreciation for the female anatomy on a more common level is evidenced by his comment regarding Plaids derriere that he calls a sweet broad soft-looking can (p.33). Sammy does have some good points in relation to his fertile imagination. Since he has a tendency to see life as a game, it seems appropriate that he refers to the whole store as a pinball machine and I didnt know which tunnel theyd [the girls] come out of (p.35). Sammys imagination and command of the English language are seen in his description of Stokesie after the two of them spy the girls in the store. He says, Stokesies married, with two babies chalked up on his fuselageShow MoreRelatedA P By John Updike1441 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Updike is considered one of the greatest writers in modern American history. He is known for the idea that seemingly ordinary aspects of American life are actually quite fascinating. He wanted readers to see the beauty and magic of life, so he tried to describe everyday things using the most clear but beautiful language possible. Many of Updike’s pieces are drawn from his own life such as his marriage and his boyhood, as shown in three of his short stories: â€Å"AP†, â€Å"Ace in the Hole†, and â€Å"PigeonRead More The Turning Point in John Updikes A P Essay1133 Words   |  5 PagesThe Turning Point in John Updikes A P John Updikes short story A P reveals nineteen-year old Sammy, the central character, as a complex person. Although Sammy appears, on the surface, as carefree and driven by male hormones, he has a lengthy agenda to settle. Through depersonalization, Sammy reveals his ideas about sexuality, social class, stereotypes, responsibility, and authority. Updikes technique, his motif, is repeated again and again through the active teenage mind of the narratorRead More From Childhood to Adulthood in Updikes AP Essay1373 Words   |  6 PagesFrom Childhood to Adulthood in Updikes AP Sammy is stuck in that difficult transition between childhood and adulthood. He is a nineteen-year-old cashier at an AP, the protagonist in a story with the same name. John Updike, the author of AP, writes from Sammys point of view, making him not only the main character but also the first person narrator. The tone of the story is set by Sammys attitude, which is nonchalant but frank--he calls things as he sees them. There is a hint of sarcasmRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 PagesBecky’s slow but inevitable decline. Selectivity In deciding how much plot to include in a given work, how much emphasis to give individual episodes, and how these episodes are to be related to one another, the author’s selectivity comes fully into play. In general, the shorter the narrative, the greater the degree of selectivity that will be required. The very economy of the short story, for example, limits the amount of plot that can be included, a limitation of treatment that usually can be avoided