Mikael's Blog #5

On A&P, First Question:
In this story, we see Sammy making a clear and concise decision by the end of the story.  After seeing the way that Lengel reacts to the girls wearing swimsuits and his decision to kick them out, Sammy quits on the spot.  While it can be said that he was quitting for the injustice of the situation, his body language suggests that he has an ulterior motive.  He makes a point of attempting to quit while they can still see him, so that they can see their "unsuspected hero".  Throughout the story, it is the physical traits of the people, both men and women, that stand out to young Sammy.  He comments on the weight of one girl, the gait of the "queen", and even the mannerisms of Lengel,  the boss.  While he does quit by the end, the reader is shown the social expectations and norms that are evident in the time period.  When referring to Stokesie, he mentions that he's married and has two kids.  In the next sentence, the same Stokesie is referred to as "the responsible married man", pointing out that the two adjectives go hand-in-hand.  All three of the men's reactions to the girls are indicative of what was expected of them as males.  While he thought the queens actions were cute, Stokesie reacted uncomfortably and Lengel ended up kicking the girls out of the store.  In the end, all of their actions were decided by the responsibilities set forth by the society and the time period.  Once Sammy had quit, he came to the realization that his headstrong decision provided no positive outcome.  He was fairly easily replaced, and didn't receive so much as a thank you from the girls.