Through out a story a character can evolve or make a transition, for example, in the short story A & P by John Updike, a young checker named Sammy is presented with a compromising situation. Three young girls walk into the store wearing bathing suits; as a result, Sammys character makes a transformation from judgmental, to noble, and then finally regretful. In the exposition when the girls walk in, Sammy is extremely judgmental. The degrading remarks and the routine of the environment is suggested by Sammy's offhand references to the shoppers as "sheep," "house-slaves," and "pigs." They seem to pace through the store in a stupor; as Sammy tells us, not even dynamite could move them.The reason Sammy quits his job has less to do with defending the girls than with his own since of what it means to be a noble and decent human being. His decision to quit the A & P is an expression of his refusal to regard policies as more important than people. For Sammy, the logical extension of Lengels policy is the ridiculous notion that one day the A & P might be known as the Great Alexandrov and Petrooshki Tea Company.Finally, Sammys regretful decision to quit was not an easy one. He does not want to cause problems or disappointment with his parents, and he knows his independence and self-reliance will make life more complex for him. Once Sammy stepped out of the A & P doors, he turned back to watch Lengel. It was then that he realized how hard the world was going to be.As a result of the compromising situation Sammy was introduced to in the exposition, his character was compelled to make an evolution. What started out as a young judgmental checker soon transformed into a decent human being, more concerned with people than policies. Sammys impulsive decision to quit overwhelmed him with regret after walking out of the A & P doors and into and new independent and self-reliant life....
