Sammy is a classic example of an “unreliable” narrator—that is, a narrator who is a full-fledged character in the story and whose opinions must be analyzed rather than simply accepted. For example, Sammy’s comment on the unknowability of the female mind should be taken as a statement in a character’s voice and not as a statement of Updike’s feelings on the topic. A more significant example is Sammy’s statement that “once you begin a gesture it’s fatal not to go through with it.” This is by no means a message statement by Updike. Rather, it is a highly debatable proposition by an impulsive young man who may have reason to regret the gesture he completes. An understanding of Updike’s subtle handling of his narrator is key to grasping the true action of the plot of “A&P”: the slow revelation of a young man’s character.