A & P Study Guide

A & P, by John Updike, is written in the first person, as told from the point of view of a 19-year-old grocery clerk named Sammy. One day, while Sammy is working, three girls walk into the A & P supermarket wearing nothing but bathing suits. At first, one of the girls intrigues Sammy. She is chunky and wearing a green two-piece bathing suit. He is so lost in thought while looking at the backs of her legs that he can't remember if he has rang up the box of crackers in his hand. He punches the price of the crackers into the cash register, only to have his customer become angry because he has already charged her for them. It takes him a few minutes to calm down the woman and finish her transaction. By the time she walks away, the three girls in bathing suits have left the bread aisle ... (read more)