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Title: How fully does Updike draw the character of Sammy? What traits(admirable or otherwise) does Sammy ... Post by: efi on Feb 1, 2018 How fully does Updike draw the character of Sammy? What traits(admirable or otherwise) does Sammy show? Is he any less a hero for wanting the girls to notice his heroism? To what extent is he more thoroughly and fully portrayed than the doctor in Godfather Death?
What will be an ideal response? Title: How fully does Updike draw the character of Sammy? What traits(admirable or otherwise) does Sammy ... Post by: grabes on Feb 1, 2018 Sammy isnt sophisticated, but he is sometimes witty and always observant. He comes from a family of proletarian beer drinkers and thinks martinis are garnished with mint. His feelings for the girls begin with lustful admiration for their beauty and unconventional behavior, but this soon turns to pity, since he believes the girls did not intend to foster such a judgmental response from strangers. Then he feels elated when they decide to check out at his register, which turns to anger at his manager for the unjust humiliation they undergo. That he wants to be admired for his heroism only makes his character more realistic and human. His motives for doing so are deeper than just wanting the girls attention. Sammy considers that his boss knows his parents, and realizes his act may warrant their disapproval. Unlike the doctor in Godfather Death, the reader experiences the pleasure of hearing Sammys own thoughts consistently throughout A & P. We sympathize with Sammy, in part, because we are offered so many insights into his personality and humanity. We experience his passage from boyhood to manhood, and we share his painful realization in the final paragraph. In Godfather Death, we are only given two moments of insight into the doctors thoughts: once when he defies Death to save the King, and again when he rebels to save the Kings daughter. Although we sympathize when he fell into the hands of Death, it is so predictable that we wonder why he didnt see it coming. Sammys final realization is raw and surprising. We see Sammys strengths and weaknesses from a psychological perspective that is completely absent from Godfather Death, as it is from most fairy tales, fables, and legends. |