Suspense In A & P By John Updike

In the short story “A&P” John Updike tells us of a scene where a young man, Sammy, experiences an almost trance-like state while he watches the interactions between three bikini-clad girls and his coworkers. Updike uses multiple elements to make up this compelling story. Suspense, mystery, surprise and even conflict can be found as major themes in the story. Suspense plays a major role in the story “A&P.” At the start of the story, the reader is kept in suspense as they wait to see how the female customer, whom Sammy calls a ‘witch,’ will react to his scanning mistake (430). Although the issue is quickly resolved, Updike continuously uses suspense to keep his reader intrigued. Readers will be held captive as they wonder how Lengel, Sammy’s