AP by John Updike

Introduction The world of literature is the source of new ideas, thoughts and inspirations. The authors make us think over our life. Undoubtedly, everyone has the right to have their own opinion and the literature encourages us being open-minded and independent in our judgments. The novel AP by John Updike is one of the works, which has a rather simple plot but involves the important message to the public.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on AP by John Updike specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aim of this essay is to summarize the plot of AP by John Updike and to discuss the main idea of the novel. The Summary of the Plot The plot of the novel unfolds at the grocery shop AP, where a young man Sammy works. He is the main character and the narrator of the story, which happened to him in the work place. Sammy is only 19 years old and, in contrast to the most of population, he has rather rebellious views on th e American consumerism. At the same time, people, whom he observes every day at the shop, are, obviously, the bright examples of the consumer society influence. Besides, Lengel, a manager of the store, plays an important role in the plot of the novel. He is the conservative and strict man, who considers any person’s behavior, which is different from the behavior of the majority, as an inadmissible. One day, three girls in bathing suits enter the shop. Sammy becomes charmed by them. While watching they are shopping at the store, he is examining their bodies. His sexual dreams do not leave his mind. However, we get to know that he is rather cynical about the two of the girls. It seems like they have failed his evaluation and cannot compete with the third one, whose appearance he considers as perfect. In his thoughts, he calls her Queenie. It seems like she is a leader among the three friends. The confrontation occurs when the manager of the store criticizes the girls for their look and indicates to their bathing suits with reproof. The girls have to leave the store. Sammy feels himself hurt and disgusted. In a fit of temper, he leaves the job. The Discussion The consumer society is, undoubtedly, the main theme of the novel by John Updike. The author shows how much people are concerned about the satisfaction of their desires. He emphasizes that the customers at the shop are willing to buy the snacks rather than the food staff necessary for living.Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They, essentially, spend their money on nothing. The character of Sammy is far more complicated as it seems at the first glance. Although, ironically, he is driven by his physical desires as the customers do, he feels an inner rejection of the commonly accepted way of life as well as of the hypocrisy and conservatism of the manager. Sammy rebels against the consume r society when he leaves his job. The controversy is obvious in the plot of the novel. On the one hand, the main character feels rejection of the consumerism, and, on the other hand, he scrutinizes the figures of the girls from the consumer standpoint. I guess the main idea of the novel is not only the shame on the primitive values of the consumer society but also, and maybe even more importantly, the shame on the conventionalism and non-acceptance of the views different from the ones, which are spread in the society. The author blames the society for the hypocrisy and the duplicity. The ambiguity can be noticed in the attitude and behavior of the manager of the store. He upbraids the girls for their immodest look but is eager to facilitate the sales at his store at the same time. It becomes clear that he is a part of the consumer society as well but, in contrast to Sammy, his strict and conventional views do not allow him being open-minded and flexible. The theme of human body also takes the central place in the novel. I think the author tries to show that people like a manager Lengel are cared about the look, which the others have, much more than about their inner nature. They forget about the spiritual side of the world. The themes of the consumer society and the human body are closely interconnected. The sexy figures of the girls and the attitude of Sammy to them symbolically represent the temptations of the modern world. The question is how much the figures of these girls are different from the plenty of the snacks and other trifles offered at the store in the opinion of Sammy. Conclusion In order to sum up all above mentioned, it should be said that the novel AP by John Updike depicts the reality of the modern society. The theme of consumerism takes the central place in the plot of the novel. The main character rebels against the hypocrisy and duplicity of the modern society. At the same time, he is tempted by it as well.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on AP by John Updike specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The author emphasizes the ambiguity of the attitude of many people nowadays. On the one hand, they stand up for the modesty as well as for the certain model of behavior and are eager to enjoy the pleasures of the consumer society, on the other hand. This research paper on AP by John Updike was written and submitted by user Madeline Robbins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Sample Essay Writing About Education

Sample Essay Writing About EducationIf you have been asked to write a sample essay about education for your senior thesis, there are several important things you should bear in mind. Although it will not be as difficult as some of the other projects you might have to write, it will still take some time and effort.The first thing you should do when writing a sample essay about education is to plan well. First, it will help you figure out what kind of topics you should include in your essay. There are some writing samples that may not be the most suitable for your subjects.It is not just the topic of the essay that will affect your final grade, but also the way you write the essay. If you write poorly, it could ruin your entire project. You should decide what subject and how much information you need to include in your essay. What kind of examples should you use?You should always choose a topic based on what you have learned from your studies and then ensure that your ideas are all sta ted in a very coherent manner. This is the best way to make a good essay. Once you have decided on the topic, you should make sure that you research well and gather as much information as possible. It is best to research your topic well before actually starting your writing, so that you are sure of what you want to write about.You should always write something that will bring to light your particular knowledge on a specific topic. For example, if you study English literature, you can write an essay about how to study literature or a book review. Whatever it is, make sure that you write about the topic that you know well. This is why it is so important to research well before actually writing.You should also make sure that you use the right format for your topic. In case you are writing a short essay, you can try to write in a sentence format. However, if you are writing a long essay, try to follow a formal format. There are some sample essays that you can read which have a formal st yle.Remember that you should write about what you know well. If you cannot relate well to your topic, you should change the topic. You should also take time to write a bit of a history of your topic. You should also make sure that you write properly and use proper grammar.Writing a sample essay about education is not that hard to do. If you feel that your writing is lacking or that you cannot come up with a good topic, you should consider doing some research or asking for help from a mentor. Some professors offer help to students who need help with their papers, and there are many websites available online that offer help to writers.