Summary Of Where Are You Going Where Have You Been

Humans are allowed the ability to exert free will and be able to make decisions for themselves that reflect their own persona. With this liberty, the identity of an individual isn't limited to one set of characteristics as many external and internal situations either influence the cognitive decision making complex of humans. In the short story, "Where are you going, where have you been?" by Joyce Carol Oates, reveals through the characterization of Connie and her settings the duality of human beings. Also, using symbols and patterns to strongly put emphasis on how the underdeveloped mind of adolescents make way for impressions and influences by the factors that surround them when trying to cope with developing their own identity.

To begin with, the protagonist Connie is a mirrored version of many adolescent teenagers that experience problems such as a duplex
With Connie's characterization highlighted early on in the story, there is a sense of duality created as the reader is introduced to two different persona's that is instilled into one character. In one portion Connie is described as a girl that meets the expectations, (at least barely) of her mother. "She wore a pull-over jersey blouse that looked one way when she was home and another way when she was away from home," illustrating how Connie dresses accordingly to appease her mothers perception of her. However, when away from the judgmental presence of home, revealed by how Connie's mother continuously degrades her by comparing her to her sister as revealed by the line "Why don’t you keep your room clean like you sister?" , Connie then transforms. Her persona shifts from the woman her mom dictates her to be and instead breaks away into a version of herself that allows her to showcase herself in a more appealing fashion to those around her. As said by the line, "walking around the shopping plaza in their