All For A Queen

John Updike gives the description of a woman's body in a very class way, he was a man of a classic time. In the short story "A&P" Updike displays his writing skills by doing carefully thought out description of a teenage boys thoughts without making it sound like a romance novel. Sammy admires the girl from a far, describing her looks and ending with the simple statment of, "I mean, it was more than pretty" (225). Sammy begins to take more notice of Queenie and thinks of her body in a more respectful and loving way. He describes how her neck looks so stretched out from her shoulders but is quick to say, "The longer her neck was, the more of her there was" (225). It's clear Updike or his characthers don't want to be preceived as a sexist person but one that is appreciative of a woman. In the end of the short story Sammy does gutsy move and quits his job in an attempt of being Queenie's king but he falls short and learns a life lesson (228). One he has her to thank for.