How accurate are Sammy's judgments about the other characters? How might the characters be portrayed if the story were told by Lengel?
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A&P and Other Stories Study Guide
A&P and Other Stories study guide contains a biography of John Updike, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
Ace in the Hole
On the way home from being fired from his job, Ace Anderson yells at a teenager in a car. He stops at his mother's house to pick up his infant daughter, Bonnie, and informs his mother that he has lost his job. Ace's mother is nonchalant about the news and jibes him about his wife, Evey, whom Ace's mother disapproves of. Ace takes Bonnie home, ignoring her while examining himself in the mirror. He finds out a record he set as a high school basketball star 5 years ago will soon be broken. Evey gets home and demands to know what Ace will do now, mocking him about his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. Evey mutters that she is nearly ready for a divorce, but Ace does not take her seriously. Instead, he dances…
Read the full A&P and Other Stories Summary
- A&P and Other Stories Summary
- About A&P and Other Stories
- Character List
- Glossary of Terms
- Major Themes
- Quotes and Analysis
- Summary and Analysis of Ace in the Hole
- Summary and Analysis of A & P, Part 1
- Summary and Analysis of A & P, Part 2
- Summary and Analysis of A & P, Part 3
- Summary and Analysis of Pigeon Feathers
- Summary and Analysis of Separating
- Summary and Analysis of Short Easter
- Consumerism and the Cold War
- Related Links on A&P and Other Stories
- Suggested Essay Questions
- Test Yourself! - Quiz 1
- Test Yourself! - Quiz 2
- Test Yourself! - Quiz 3
- Test Yourself! - Quiz 4
- Author of ClassicNote and Sources
A&P and Other Stories Essays and Related Content
- A&P and Other Stories: Major Themes
- A&P and Other Stories: Questions
- A&P and Other Stories: Purchase the Novel and Related Material
- John Updike: Biography
Given what you learn about Sammy during the course of the story, what do you see as his primary motivation for quitting his job? What other factors motivate him?
Is the supermarket setting vital to the story? Could the story have been set in a car wash? in a fast-food restaurant? in a business office?
