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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. On what day of the week does the story take place?

2. The narrator describes the young women in the store as being "without" (2) what item?

3. The narrator's town is "five miles from" (10) what?

4. For how many years does the narrator say the woman he calls the "cash-register-watcher" (1) has been waiting for a cashier to make a mistake?

5. The narrator describes the A and P's stock of records as "a waste of" (12) what?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way is Sammy demonstrating true empathy toward the young women with his comment beginning with "Poor kids" (11)?

2. Discuss the way in which Sammy objectifies the three young women.

3. How is the animal motif included within Paragraphs 1-6?

4. Who is the protagonist of the story "A and P"?

5. What are Sammy's feelings about Stokesie's career goal?

6. What is Stokesie's career goal?

7. Besides dressing differently than everyone else in the store, how else do the young women stand out?

8. What is the setting of the story "A and P"?

9. Discuss how Updike uses language to indicate the character traits of Sammy.

10. To what does Stokesie refer when he asks Sammy, "Is it done?" (9)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze Updike’s story from an Existential perspective. What elements of life does it suggest hold the most meaning and why?

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about “A and P” while using the critical power theory lens of Marxist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the story's treatment of issues such as socioeconomic status, hierarchies, wealth, class, or any other issues related to Marxist theory that can be found in the short story.

Essay Topic 3

Determine Updike’s message regarding the phenomenon of the male gaze.

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