Literary Analysis Of Two Texts
Literary Analysis of Two Texts
Renita Redding
Instructor: Irene Robles-Huerta
ENG 125
March 21, 2015
The short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, by Joyce Oates, (1966), and the poem, “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl”, by Patricia Smith, (1991), are both about the coming of age of young girls and the conflicts that they encounter. The two pieces explore issues that most young girls have with their bodies and others during their puberty years. The literary elements that will be compared in this essay is imagery and symbolism. The main conflict in both pieces that will be explored is individual versus self. These literary elements and conflict will help us to explore the issues that these two individual young girls dealt with concerning their femininity and the loss of their innocence.
There are many types of conflicts all around us. The conflict of individual versus self is an internal conflict that takes place in the mind, Docimo, (2015). It is the thing or issues that keeps a character in turmoil in a story. In the short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, the main character Connie is in direct conflict with herself. In the very beginning of the story it is apparent that she is very aware of her looks and knows that she is a pretty young lady. It is clear in the statement of her mother, scolding her for always looking into mirrors. Her mother tells her to “Stop gawking at yourself. Who are you? You think you’re so pretty?” Oates, (1966). Connie goes through a great deal to make sure that she looks good and that she is noticed by the opposite sex. In her mind she has to always look good.
However, when it comes to the poem, “What it’s like to be a Black Girl, Smith, 1991) the conflict of individual versus self is being 9 years old learning about your femininity and growing up in a race that is not considered beautiful and just wanting to fit in. At the beginning of the poem, it states that the girl is 9. This is the
Renita Redding
Instructor: Irene Robles-Huerta
ENG 125
March 21, 2015
The short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, by Joyce Oates, (1966), and the poem, “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl”, by Patricia Smith, (1991), are both about the coming of age of young girls and the conflicts that they encounter. The two pieces explore issues that most young girls have with their bodies and others during their puberty years. The literary elements that will be compared in this essay is imagery and symbolism. The main conflict in both pieces that will be explored is individual versus self. These literary elements and conflict will help us to explore the issues that these two individual young girls dealt with concerning their femininity and the loss of their innocence.
There are many types of conflicts all around us. The conflict of individual versus self is an internal conflict that takes place in the mind, Docimo, (2015). It is the thing or issues that keeps a character in turmoil in a story. In the short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, the main character Connie is in direct conflict with herself. In the very beginning of the story it is apparent that she is very aware of her looks and knows that she is a pretty young lady. It is clear in the statement of her mother, scolding her for always looking into mirrors. Her mother tells her to “Stop gawking at yourself. Who are you? You think you’re so pretty?” Oates, (1966). Connie goes through a great deal to make sure that she looks good and that she is noticed by the opposite sex. In her mind she has to always look good.
However, when it comes to the poem, “What it’s like to be a Black Girl, Smith, 1991) the conflict of individual versus self is being 9 years old learning about your femininity and growing up in a race that is not considered beautiful and just wanting to fit in. At the beginning of the poem, it states that the girl is 9. This is the