Time Continues To Fly and Changes Continue to Occur - Essay Example

Similarly, in John Updike’s short story A & P, the protagonist Sammy works as a checkout clerk at the supermarket of the same name as the title of the story. He finds his work monotonous, goes on with it robotically until his attention is caught by a group of girls who are clad in swimming costumes. Being a boy of nineteen years, he is, not so surprisingly, immediately attracted to them especially the tallest one who he nicknames Queenie. He watches them closely, almost acting like a stalker.

He sees and imagines and wishes. When the manager Lengel tells the group of girls off for coming to A & P dressed in their swimsuits and nothing more, Sammy is indignant on their behalf. Wanting to play the hero and to get their attention, maybe even their number, he resigns on the spot. Lengel tries to reason with him, even brings in his parents’ displeasure at the resignation. Sammy realizes what he has done will bring repercussions but what is done is done and he is willing to face the consequences (Updike).

Sammy acts the way he does because he had been distracted by a couple of beautiful girls. It is understandable, of course, but giving up his job turns out to be useless since the girls leave before he does and have no idea of what he has done for them. He follows his impulses, is emotional about his decision and loses his job. He is unemployed once again and has no way of earning money. As Lengel reminds him, his parents would be disappointed because of this. Resigning may even seem worth it if he had actually gotten the girl but he had not.

He had only ended up making bad decisions out of which he got nothing. They backfired from all angles. This is how life to a teenager seems like. All problems and no successes no matter what they do to achieve whatever they wish. In the story Greasy Lake which is written by the author T. Coraghessan Boyle, he is reminiscing about his years as a “rebellious punk”. He writes about three boys who think they are “cool” because they act like “bad boys” when; in fact, they still are boys with their own insecurities and are unsure about life.

They are nineteen year old young men called Jeff, Digby and the unnamed narrator. These three are on a lookout for adventures and thrill and think that is all to life. They drive around in their mother’s car, drinking, wishing for a change in life but are not exactly excited when their wishes do come true. The three hang out at their spot away from the town, it is dirty with rubbish around it and obviously nothing good can happen there. When they reach the Greasy Lake, they pull a prank but it turns horribly wrong and they do not know what to do.

They were aiming to make fun of another friend but they end up pranking someone else completely. A fight breaks out between the three boys and the man who is, in actuality, a “bad guy” and not just pretending to be one like them. The man hits them and injures them but eventually the three manage to overcome him and hit him with an iron rod which makes him lose conscious (Boyle). After this, the man’s girlfriend comes running out and when the boys find her attractive, they start ripping off her clothes and it seems like they are attempting to rape her but then another car arrives.

The occupants of the car start to scream at them so they rush for cover. The narrator tries to hide himself in the swampy water and is disgusted and very frightened when he sees a dead body in front of him. The other cars’