Church Across the Street

"The Congregational Church" Page 17

Girls Left the parking lot

The girls left A & P after being humiliated by Lengel.

"the door flies open and they flicker across the lots to their car." Page 18

Girls Checking Out

The girls checking out at Sammie's check stand.

"Girls, this isn't the beach."

"My mother asked me to pick up a jar of herring snacks." Page 17

Pickled Herring Snack

The girls in swim suits getting the can of pickled Harrington for Queenie's mother. "King Fish Fancy Herring Snacks in Pure Sour Cream: 0.49." page 17

A & P

A & P is the grocery store where the short story takes place.

"but were right in the middle of town, and if you were to stand at our front doors you can see two banks, and the Congregational church and the newspaper store and three real estate offices and about twenty-seven old freeloaders tearing up Central Street because the sewer broke again." Page 17

The Style

It was inappropriate to show your body in a form of wearing a swimming suit when you are 5 miles away from the beach. In the 60's, girls were suppose to be clothed when entering a public place such as the A & P grocery store. The views on how people were not suppose to dress appropriately in public were different in the 60's than they are today.

Symbols and Theme

The symbol of this story is the girls in their swimming suits and how inappropriate it is to wear the swimming suit into the grocery store. The theme of the story is to stand up for what you personally believe in even though other people may think it is wrong.