Lengel says, "That's all right...but this isn't the beach." And after a counter-protest by another of the three girls, Lengel lectures, "We want you decently dressed when you come in here." For all the readers know, Lengel himself is turned on by the lovely young women, and is only ranting at them in order to gaze at the splendor on display. In any event, Queenie says, "We are decent"; she

John Updike & Nathaniel Hawthorne John Updike and Nathaniel Hawthorne are two of the most well-known writers to have contributed to the body of American Literature. Updike, the more recent writer of the two, has been considered one of America's most prestigious writers, often honored by collegiate bodies and authoritative figures. Likewise, Nathaniel Hawthorne in his time was recognized and respected, having come from a background commanding some respect. Both authors

John Updike's A&P John Updike's short story "A&P" mingles themes of sexuality, identity, and conformity. "A&P" is surprisingly complex, given its length. At the outset, the story seems like a peek at a young boy's frustrated sexuality. He describes the scantily-clad girls with curiosity, as an observer of social status and body language. A large portion of "A&P" is devoted solely to the lyrical descriptions of the three girls, their lack

Individualization in America as Shown in Updike's "A&P" John Updike's short story "A&P" has been the subject of much scholarly debate over the decades since it first appeared. On the surface a simple tale of youthful lust and rebelliousness, there have been many attempts to read deeper meaning into the story and to assign certain symbolic importance to the adolescent protagonist and other elements of the story. Through an examination of

John Updike's "A&P" and James Joyce's "Araby" are very alike. The theme of the two stories centers on a young men who are concerned over thinking out the dissimilarity between reality and the imaginations of romance that dance in their heads. They also examine their mistaken thoughts on their respective world, the girls they encounter, and most importantly, themselves. One of the main comparable aspects of the two stories is

Okoro Sammy The Evolution of Sammy Kelechi Okoro ENGL - 1302 Updike was clearly a master of his art as evidenced by his use of characters. Indeed, he told the story of his own evolution himself when he said "I began as a writer of light verse, and have tried to carry over into my serious or lyric verse something of the strictness and liveliness of the lesser form." [footnoteRef:2] The most poignant and impactful