characterization in A&P

In A&P, by John Updike, he uses indirect characterization to develop his characters. Updike uses sutble hints to slowly allude to how each character acts and what type of character he/she is. For example, for Sammy, who'd I'd consider the protaganist, Updike uses Sammy's internal monolouge to show how he's an awkward kind of kid. For other characters, like the three teenage girls, Updike has you use Sammy description of them to better understand them.

I also believe that the point of view is very critical to the characterization of all of the characters. If this was from the point of view of say, Lengel, Sammy would be viewed in a completely different light. He would most likely be characterized as some lazy employee who doesn't respect Lengel and stares at costumers constantly. While if it was from the point of view of "Queenie", Sammy would be viewed as some creep who wouldn't stop staring at her and her friends. But since it is from Sammy's point of view, he's seen as just an awkward teenage guy, pretty much doing teenage guy things and Lengel is seen as a uptight, control freak boss.

Lengel here acts as a foil for Sammy because of the difference in opinion in the girls apparel, or lack thereof. They even got in a little spat about it after Sammy decided to up and quit. This difference in opinion shows a rather large age gap bewteen Sammy and Lengel. For Sammy it also shows how he's still immature because he quit his job soley to impress a few girls. He soon realized after that he had made a very big mistake and he had life pretty easy before he quit and now he "felt how hard the world was going to be to [him] hereafter." This sudden change of heart shows that Sammy is a dynamic character.