Discuss the notion of age or generational differences with reference to certain characters in A&P - Essay Example

Sammy Sammy, who assumes the role of narrator of A & P, is a thoughtful young lad who has keen interest in the members from opposite gender. He keeps a robust sense of observation. Sammy observes his surroundings and takes notice of the physical appearance of the girls that visit the A & P store. Sammy studies the texture as well as the designs of the bathing outfits of girls along with their suits’ tan lines. His observations are not limited to the surface. Along with the patterns of their outfits, Sammy also makes judgments about the pattern of their everyday life, specially Queenie, who appears to be the leading lady.

While examining Queenie’s body, Sammy observes the strap of her bra dangling. This both arises sexual sensation in him as well as gives him clues about the lifestyle of Queenie. Sammy gains an assumed insight into Queenie’s social life through her speech. This further clarifies her image in front of him and defines it in detail. His undue ogling of the girls speaks of Sammy’s own chauvinism, weaknesses and youthful immaturity. His immaturity can be estimated from the fact that lost in the world of lust, Sammy forgets about the ethics of professional life and becomes ignorant towards other customers in comparison to the girls.

Sammy calls the other A & P customers as “houseslaves” and “sheep”. His immaturity can fundamentally be attributed to the fact that he is a bachelor. His coworkers like Stokesie also take interest in the girls, but their interest is far different than that of Sammy. They have a natural inclination towards and attraction for such an overt expression of sexuality particularly when it comes from the opposite gender. However, unlike Sammy, Stokesie talks about the girls only sarcastically and his attraction for the girls is only apparent.

This may be because Stokesie is an aged and married man while Sammy is a young unmarried man. Sammy’s argument with Lengel has no role in building his relationship with Queenie and it is rationale to assume that he knows this as well. Despite that, Sammy takes stand for Queenie to such an extent that he looses his fundamental source of income and for what? Nothing, but lust! Only after he has done the act, Sammy realizes what he has done to his life. Sammy narrates, “…my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter” (Updike).

This clearly speaks of the fact that young girls’ mere expression of sexuality is enough to cause young and immature bachelors to make life changing decisions for no practical reason. Queenie: Queenie is a young girl who knows that her sensual expression impacts boys. She is in a phase of constant experimentation in which she tests the limits to which exposure can be allowed by the opposite gender in public. She has assumed that boys would not mind her showing up in a bathing suit. According to her assumptions, her sensual message is too strong and appealing for boys to condemn it.

Perhaps, she gains a sense of independence from this. Embarrassment arises from lack of expectation. Queenie essentially does not expect any male to stop her from her expression of sexuality, though in her assumption, she is being ignorant of the fact that all males are not young, and have more important preferences in life than falling prey to the appeal of young