“A & P”-John Updike

This is a really interesting short story that really gives great imagery. I can relate to this story in a lot of ways. It reminds me of my own experiences at work and the thoughts that have gone through my mind. When I think about this story I image my job at McDonalds. The A & P is a lot like McDonalds because it seems like another one of those minimum wage jobs that are created especially just for teenagers. At these kinds of jobs day in and day out you seem to be faced with the same monotonous routine. As you get used to this routine you find your mind going off into the strangest paths. It is as if the simplest things can be analyzed and drawn out. The routine becomes so much of a pattern and habit that you can do your job when your mind is somewhere else. In this short story this exact thing is taking place. The girls are a very interesting occurrence in the A&P because they are so out of the ordinary.
I feel as if I have had experiences like this particular one at McDonalds. Being a teenager it is so very easy to be distracted, especially by the opposite sex. I can think of many instances where people from just a combination of attraction, curiosity, and boredom have intrigued me. In a job like that a thing like a group of girls can be such an amazing escape for someone.
As much anyone can relate to that kind of job, they can definitely relate to when they are done with it. Don’t get me wrong I truly have value for the opportunity of a job, but I think that sometimes these jobs due more harm for a person than good. At the end of this story I can relate to the sadness of losing a job but in the same way the satisfaction of being able to dismiss something that has caused you a lot of frustration.