"A&P," by John Updike

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Due Thursday, February 18, 2010 @ 600 P.M.

Read "A&P," by John Updike (page 127 of our text)

Write a First Response to "A&P."

You may free-write a response, or use some or all of the following prompts:

*Consider the methods of fiction: tone, plot, characterization, setting, point of view, irony, theme -- which method most affected your response to the literature?

*Consider archetypes -- which stood out most to you?

*Consider the psychological criticism -- what stood out to you?

*Consider the historical criticism -- small town outside of Boston in the 1960's -- what stood out to you?

*Discuss Sammy, or Queenie, or Lengel -- how did his/her behavior affect you?

Provide specific textual details and quotations from the story to justify and/or explain your response to "A&P."

Remember, a first response is not a summary -- use 3-5 quotations from the story and tell me how the story affected you.

First Response Guidelines:

*8.5x11-inch paper

*1-inch margins

*typed, double-spaced, Cambria 12 font

*minimum one (1) page; maximum two (2) pages

Upper left-hand corner of the paper, single spaced:

FIRST AND LAST NAME

February 18, 2010

Professor Melinda Roberts

Comp & Lit II: Spring 2010

Centered Title (all caps and bolded):

RESPONSE PAPER: "A&P"

Once you have finished the reading and writing your response paper, you may enjoy the following links:

# Interview with John Updike on the writing of A & P (1995) Part 1 of 2

# Interview with John Updike on the writing of A & P (1995) Part 2 of 2

# Movie version of A & P with Sean Hayes (from Will & Grace)