Adolescent Choices in "A&P"

This was the first essay I wrote for this class. I focused the piece around the theme in John Updike's short story that, "in adolescence, choices are made without the consideration of consequences." I first introduced my ideas to engage the reader, "Have you ever decided to do something in your adolescence to live in the moment, only to realize the consequences later of that choice? Maybe it was the choice to argue with your parents because you thought you were right. Or perhaps it was to break the rules. Or you reacted on your gut feeling to get in a fight over a girl." This intro was meant to help the reader relate to my essay while simultaneously exposing them to the connection in "A&P" that, "such adolescent choices are exemplified by Sammy’s condescending mindset, three girls’ outfit decisions, and a commitment based on impulsiveness."
An example of my coherence through organization is how I break up each point into two paragraphs and connect them with a topic sentence such as, "In addition to the older customer, Sammy also decides to think superiorly by casting judgment on the butcher McMahon." Although I break apart from the standard 5-paragraph essay, I think that I do so in a way that maintains coherence for the reader to follow along.
I develop my ideas by integrating quotes into my essay. One example is, "Lengel’s sad Sunday-school-superintendent stare is the reason that 'Queenie’s blush is no sunburn now' (18). The reassurance that this girl is truly humiliated, and most likely regretting her decision to have given Lengel a reason to make her uncomfortable, is illustrated in the attention drawn to her blushing." I continue to develop the evidence in the quote by explaining the significance directly after.