John Updike’s impressive use of visual details in the short story “A&P” helps bring to life the protagonist Sammy. When three girls enter the local A&P grocery store wearing only their bathing suits, Sammy watches how the girls refuse to live by the common standards of society, one that promotes severe modesty. This eventually leads to Sammy deciding to quit his job after his manager scolds the girls for their attire. As the readers go through the story, they are able to relate to the small details Updike adds to his story because they are so specific and common.
In his first paragraph of the short story, Updike sets in place details that the readers can relate to their own life. “I stood there with my