Final answer:
The narrator in Ginsberg's poem feels embarrassed by the contrast between Whitman's humanistic and existential questioning in a modern supermarket, which reveals a consumerism that disregards deeper human thought and connection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The narrator feels a source of embarrassment at the American supermarket as depicted in Allen Ginsberg's poem "A Supermarket in California." Ginsberg imagines a surreal encounter with Walt Whitman in a modern supermarket, emphasizing the disconnect between Whitman's humanistic views and the consumerism of modern America. The embarrassment comes from being in a dreamlike odyssey alongside Whitman, asking existential questions about products like pork chops and bananas, which highlight the triviality and commercial nature of contemporary life contrasted with deeper human connections and the seeking of knowledge which Whitman represents.
In the poem, Whitman's questions "Who killed the pork chops? What price bananas? Are you my Angel?" illustrate a stark difference in the type of thinking encouraged in today's society. When addressing Ginsberg's point in modern terms, it's evident that supermarket staff, such as those at Publix or Kroger, would likely answer the questions about pricing and product origin in straightforward, factual ways but might be perplexed by the last existential question.
The responses from the supermarket staff to Whitman's questions hint at the focus of modern consumer culture on efficiency and transaction over philosophical or existential contemplation, reflecting the poet's feelings of absurdity and disconnection. It suggests a society where the value of poetic thought and the search for deeper meaning have been replaced by a more superficial consumer experience.