Thesis: Combined with my values, beliefs, and personal experiences, John Updike's use of symbolism and tone throughout his short story "A&P", has lead me to see the importance in breaking away from societal pressure and conformity, doing what you think is right, no matter the consequence.
Paragraph 1: Symbolism
- Customers: The customers symbolize the "sheep" of society; the followers who do whatever everyone else is doing. While Lengel scolds the girls for their indecent attire, "the customers had been showing up with their carts, but you know sheep, seeing a scene, they had all bunched up..." (Updike). Referring to the store customers as "sheep", Sammy places a negative connotation on this word, consequently leaving a negative impression of the customers in our minds. Through this, Sammy is able to emphasize the importance of being an individual and breaking out of that mess of bunched up carts.
- The Girls: To me, the girls symbolize the conflicting customs and values of older generations versus new ones. Being a young teenage girl, I could relate to them. Young people are often expected and pressured to act or look a certain way by older generations. The girls in their bathing suits symbolize their generation's rebellion to the social guidelines that have been presented by their elders. As they made their way down the aisles, "the girls were walking against the usual traffic..." (Updike), symbolizing their resistance to conform to these societal norms these "sheep" have pressured them with.
- Lengel: Lengel symbolizes the authority and "policy" that governs society. Figuratively, he represents the societal rules that infringe on one's individuality and independence. After an unsuccessful attempt to stand up for themselves, the girls quiet down as Lengel repeats, "'Girls, I don't want to argue with you. After this come in here with your shoulders covered. It's our policy'... That's policy for you. Policy is what the kingpins want" (Updike). This "policy" is what pushes Sammy to stand up for "his girls" and break free from the pressure that society has placed on him to conform to their standards.
Paragraph 2: Tone
- When referring to Queenie, Sammy's tone is admiring and as has a sense of infatuation intertwined into his words. But, when referring to the customers, Sammy's tone is altered, becoming sarcastic and demeaning. These differences in tone persuade me to resent the "sheep" in society and appreciate those who go "against the normal traffic".
NOTE: I AM STILL WORKING ON THE CONTENT OF THIS PARAGRAPH... NEEDS EVIDENCE AND COMMENTARY.
My response and personal feelings with the text:
- I chose this story because I had read it previously in my senior year of high school. I wanted to see if, with time, my interpretation of the text and its meaning had changed. I remember deciding that Sammy was stupid for quitting his job over three random girls who wouldn't give him the time of day. But now, even after a short amount of time, my interpretation has changed. Graduating High School and starting my first year at Mira Costa has really made me grow up. I have become more confident and more mature than I have been my whole life. Through my experience I have found the importance of going your own way and doing what you think is right, no matter what anyone else thinks. This sense of independence and individuality that I found in college has swayed my response to the story. Now, Sammy is not stupid, he is courageous. To me, his ability to break away from what society expects of him is admirable.
Now, what I am having trouble with here is how to include that personal experience and response in my analysis... any suggestions?
I think your paragraph on symbolism is really strong so far, and you're on the right track for the structuralist approach, since you have a good balance of literary devices and personal response. As for your last statement on how to include your personal experience in your analysis: you should include the last four sentences, starting with "Through my experience..." I think it would tie in nicely at the end of your analysis. Just a suggestion :)
ReplyDeleteComment Part 1:
ReplyDeleteKayleen,
Thesis: Combined with my values, beliefs, and personal experiences, John Updike's use of symbolism and tone throughout his short story "A&P", has lead me to see the importance in breaking away from societal pressure and conformity, doing what you think is right, no matter the consequence.
I think you mean “led”, and you want to avoid drifting into 2nd person (“you”). Otherwise, this is very clear, and the thesis alone clarifies R.R. criticism.
You write, “The customers symbolize the "sheep" of society; the followers who do whatever everyone else is doing. While Lengel scolds the girls for their indecent attire, "the customers had been showing up with their carts, but you know sheep, seeing a scene, they had all bunched up..." (Updike). Referring to the store customers as "sheep", Sammy places a negative connotation on this word, consequently leaving a negative impression of the customers in our minds. Through this, Sammy is able to emphasize the importance of being an individual and breaking out of that mess of bunched up carts.” This is also very clear. You might also consider taking a look at one of Sammy’s coworkers – the young, married one whose life is, according to Sammy, already over. Since you say you’re trying for Structuralism, you might point out another “signal” or two that suggests readers should view the customers, big picture, as “sheep”. The word connotation example is very good.
Comment Part 2:
ReplyDelete“The Girls: To me, the girls symbolize the conflicting customs and values of older generations versus new ones.” If the girls are a symbol (taken together), then they probably symbolize newer values and ideas while Lengel, for example, might represent older, more dated values. Would say there’s an external conflict between Lengel and the girls that dramatizes these conflicting values? Stating so would make this clearer.
“The Girls: To me, the girls symbolize the conflicting customs and values of older generations versus new ones.” Since this is text analysis, no need for the “To me”. The personal is relevant in your next sentence, when you identify yourself as a teenage girl.
• “As they made their way down the aisles, "the girls were walking against the usual traffic..." (Updike), symbolizing their resistance to conform to these societal norms these "sheep" have pressured them with.” This is a strong piece of textual evidence that supports your assertion.
Your paragraph on Lengel is very solid, though of course you do want to here and there use R.R. language and explicitly identify cues, signal, hints, etc. You could consider Lengel again, though, as part of the externalized conflict I mention above.
***Given that you identify all characters as symbolic (more or less), then you may want to assert that the story is actually an allegory (if all characters symbolize something else and the setting does, too – i.e., the grocery store = the typical, traditional American landscape onto which new values and practices are being launched). Is this a possibility?
Make sure you introduce characters as they come up (i.e., “Queenie, the most attractive and clear leader of the group . . . “)
Do you see the contrast in tone as a textual “signal” telling the ideal reader to “resent” the sheeple? Be sure to use the language of the criticism here and there for clarity’s sake.
***Thus far, you’re doing a very good job balancing topic sentences, assertions, textual evidence, commentary. You clearly have a good grasp of the academic paragraph.
You write, “I chose this story because I had read it previously in my senior year of high school. I wanted to see if, with time, my interpretation of the text and its meaning had changed.” I think this is definitely worth expanding on. You could, perhaps, include your initial interpretation in your intro and your subsequent, “new” reading in the conclusion (you’d be demonstrating how your reading came to change/become more elastic/sophisticated, etc. over the course of time). I think this would help you avoid a repetitive conclusion and bring things full circle. What you write in this paragraph you could divide up, putting your first reading (maybe with a few more details) in the intro or 2nd paragraph and using the conclusion to demonstrate a quick version of your current understanding of the story. I hope this makes sense. ☺
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