"A & P" by John Updike
The story is basically about a boy who quits his job just because the manager talked bad to some girls who were wearing swimsuits inside the store.
Do you think Sammy's reason for quitting was worth it even though the girls did not even notice him?
In the story Sammy says: "But it seems to me that once you begin a gesture is fatal not to go through with it." Do you think he is right or do you think we can change our mind at any point in any situation?
"The Secret Spot" by Alice Elliott Dark
In the story Helen believes Julia had a affair with her husband. At the end Helen discovers that the affair never happened and that it was her husband who liked Julia. Julia seems to be a nice person, but Helen stills hates her.
Do you think Helen is right in hating Julia even though is not Julia's fault that Helen's husband likes Julia?
2 comments:
Whether Sammy's reason for quitting was worth it or not depends upon what that reason was. If Sammy's actions were based soley upon his principles and set of beliefs, not with a hope of acquiring the friendship of the attractive young ladey, then it was worth it to uphold his integrity and to preserve what he knows to be right.
Patrick has a good point. If Sammy's only reason for quitting was to become friends with the girls, then it was not worth it. However, if Sammy's reason was based on an issue he wanted to make a stand on, then it might be worth quitting. In this particular circumstance however, I do not think it was worth it for Sammy to quit. I think the manager was right. Yet, looking at the situation from the flip side, if I were a cashier, and some girls walked in the food store dressed in skirts or dresses, and the manager walked up to them and said, "You can't wear skirts or dresses in my store. This is the 21st century. Get with the program and wear what everyone else is wearing" then I would quit. Not because I would want revenge or would want to become friends with the girls, but to make a stand on the issue. In Sammy's case however, I must admit, that I believe the manager was right and Sammy shouldn't have quit his job to stand up for the issue of people walking around in bathing suits in a food store.
I don't think that Helen is right in hating Julia. It is never right to hate someone. However, I can understand why she would. I think Helen is more envious of Julia than hateful.
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