Beginning of Essay
This story is written entirely from the perspective of nineteen year old Sammy, a grocery clerk. Updike has created an atmosphere of striking opposites warring with one another throughout the entire story. Sammy is bored and excited at the same time. He has work ....

Middle of Essay
.... job as he stated, "…I got her feathers smoothed…" Updike goes into great detail to contrast the young girls with the fifty-year-old woman. He describes the older woman as having rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows. The young girls are all given nubile qualities, which are described by the character of Sammy using references to food. The first girl to catch his eye is a chunky girl with a sweet can and two crescents of white just underneath it. The second girl is described as having a chubby berry face with her lips all bunched together under her nose. The third girl doesn't get compared to food until she is at the cash register and is ....