Struggles of Individuality

There are moments in each of our lives where one critical decision will bend the path of our fate. It is then when the true character of one is tested. In many instances only those who have a true conviction to change their lives can overcome the restraints that bound them. It's in that instant of time where one's courage will give chance for hope in the future. This is what is portrayed through the character Sammy in the short story "A&P" by John Updike. It is a story of the triumph of individuality and self thought over normal social conditions and beliefs.
First, it is important to note that the author gives many suggestions that Sammy is not from a family of money, and therefore is in a struggling situation. One can gather this from the conversation between Lengel and Sammy when Lengel states, "Sammy, you don't want to do this to your Mom and Dad."(Updike 101). …