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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The narrator does not see the young women until they are over by what food item?

2. What adjective does the narrator use to describe the young woman when he depicts her picking up a package and putting it back down?

3. What does the narrator describe the young women as wearing?

4. To what historical event does the narrator allude when he depicts the "cash-register-watcher" (1)?

5. At which register is Stokesie working throughout the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the motif of sexuality included within the story?

2. In what way is the power of paradox shown within the story?

3. What does Sammy mean when he describes Stokesie "finding his voice" (9)?

4. What sorts of details does Updike use to portray the appearance of the store and why?

5. How is the animal motif included within Paragraphs 1-6?

6. What is Stokesie's family situation?

7. Describe the three young women who enter the store.

8. Who is the protagonist of the story "A and P"?

9. Cite and discuss a unique simile used by Updike within the story.

10. Discuss how Updike uses language to indicate the character traits of Sammy.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Updike’s messages about guilt and responsibility within the story “A and P.” Focus on elements of the story such as Sammy’s family’s negative reaction to Sammy’s decision to quit his job at the A and P.

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about “A and P” while using the critical power theory lens of Marxist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the story's treatment of issues such as socioeconomic status, hierarchies, wealth, class, or any other issues related to Marxist theory that can be found in the short story.

Essay Topic 3

Look carefully at Sammy’s language use throughout the story. What is Updike’s purpose for shaping Sammy’s voice in the way that he does? For example, why does Updike often choose to put grammatically incorrect phrasing into Sammy’s mouth, while also choosing a word like “hereafter” (32) for Sammy’s final line of narration within the story?

(see the answer keys)

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