Joan Smith English 102 September 22, 2015

“Your Choices Have Consequences”
In A & P, John Uplike really used Sammy, a male teenager, to express the way they think about females. In this story Sammy’s reactions gives an imagination male teenagers have on women. Sammy behaved in certain ways but things did not turn out the way he wanted them to. In different situations he acted just like a normal teenager would, by not taking things serious. It is easily seen what is going on in Sammy’s head.
First, when Sammy saw the three girls entering the grocery store wearing bathing suits, his whole mind frame changed from being a working person to being an ordinary teenager. He entered into a gaze of the girls not giving his full attention to the customer standing right at his register. Sammy was so focused on the girls who did not knew he even existed at the time to where he could not make sure the customer at his register was satisfy, “ I stood there with my hand on a box of HiHo crackers trying to remember if I rang it up or not”, (Uplike 201).
Secondly, Sammy really acted like a teenager when Lengel approached the girls at the register about coming into the store wearing bathing suits and how to dress the next time they come to the store. Lengel asked Sammy have he rung the girls purchase up yet and Sammy reacted with making the drawer sprung open as to say “ ‘Hello (bing), there, you (gung) hap-py pee-pul (splat)!’ ” (204).
As the girls rushed out Sammy blurted out a spur-of-the-moment decision “ ‘I said I quit’ ” for all of the wrong reasons (204). He lets his "teenage boy" mentality get in the way. Sammy tried to be a hero by defending the girls hoping to gain a relationship with them. In reality he lost his job and did not became the girl’s hero. His well intention act did not have the turnout he thought. At the last minute Sammy realized the consequence of an action cannot turn out the way you want them to. His thoughts and actions reflected his age. Even though Sammy's decision to quit his job was impulsive he stood up for his principle.
Sammy really acted his age when he made spur of the moments decisions. Only teenagers who do not think of the future like an adult would, would do the things Sammy did. Choosing to worry about trying to impress someone whether than keeping your job is very immature. He never thought about the long term outcome of his decision. Normally, an adult would think whether it is worth it to lose their job over someone who might never know they exist. Sammy may have acted like a teenager when he made irrational choices but the consequences will surely make him mature down the road.

Uplike, John. “A & P”. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. Ed.
Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2014. 201-25.Print.