Final answer:
The short story "Shopping" by Joyce Carol Oates explores themes of consumerism, societal pressures, and identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The short story "Shopping" by Joyce Carol Oates explores themes of consumerism, societal pressures, and identity. The story follows a teenage girl who is obsessed with shopping and uses it as a means of escape from her troubled family life. Through the repetition of shopping-related elements and the portrayal of the protagonist's internal struggles, the theme of consumerism is revealed. Additionally, the story delves into the themes of societal pressures and the search for identity through the portrayal of the protagonist's interactions with her peers and her eventual realization of the emptiness of material possessions.