A&P

I think that this story was about conformity. The narrator talked about how the people moved around like "sheep", just grazing along the aisles in the same pattern so they do not disrupt anyone else (221, paragraph 2). Then in walks these three young girls deciding to make a statement. Not only were they barefoot in a grocery store, but in nothing but bikinis. Considering it was inappropriate to dress like that anywhere other than the beach, and the beach was five miles away (page 221, last paragraph), what excuse did they have? They even seemed to acknowledge they knew they where breaking the rules by acting a little nervous about being in the store. The narrator stated (page 220, paragraph 2 toward the end) "She kind of led them, the other two peeking around... but you got the idea she had talked the other two into coming in here with her..." When Lengel told the girls he wanted them to be dressed decent the next time they come in, "Queenie" responded, "We are decent" (page 233, paragraph 2 &3). I believe this is why Sammy spoke of them like he had just seen a couple of movie stars walk in to the store. He was also bored with the humdrum ways that most people lived and found the action of these girls exciting, changing the pace. When his boss came into the picture and embarrassed the girls in front of him. Sammy felt that he had to stand up for them. He hoped by saying he quit , the girls would think of him as their hero (page 223, paragraph 7). I think that Sammy really felt that the girls did nothing wrong. He could have taken what he said back, his boss would have forgave him. Although everyone thought he was making a bad choice, he still felt it was the right one. I think the epiphany Sammy had, was when he realized that nothing turned out the way he thought it was going to, and after looking back into the store he had some regret knowing how his choice will affect his future.