Three girls, clad in just bathing suits, walk into the local grocery store and are yelled at by the manager for not wearing proper clothing. A cashier who thinks that his manager is not being fair about the girls stands up for them to try to gain their favor and ends up losing his job in the process. Sammy, the nineteen-year old boy who narrates John Updike's short story "A&P," uses his observation skills, his ability for description, and his sense of judgment to convey the emotions he feels during the encounter with the girls, when he realizes he is not meant to be a "sheep" of the world.

Sammy's ability to observe and understand the world around him plays a key role in "A&P." He is sharp-eyed and remembers every single detail, down the foods he sees around the store. He is also watchful of...