Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Summary

The two short stories “Where are you Going, Where Have You Been?” by Oates and “Castle Nowhere” by Woolson offer a strong basis for comparison and contrast in terms of canonical and non-canonical texts through characterization, genre/tone, setting, themes, and symbolism. While many of the obvious differences reside in concrete categories like setting, genre/tone, and characterization, there are alluring similarities in theme and symbolism that can allow the reader to conclude the canonization of “Where are you Going, Where Have You Been?” is due, in majority, purely to structural literary components. Content wise, the stories differ greatly in plot, so much so that perhaps upon initial reads, they are totally unrelated. “Where are you Going, Where Have You Been?” categorizes an experience of a teenage girl, who undergoes a disturbing quasi-fantasy that results in a nervous breakdown over a number of things (adult expectations, violence, sexuality, men). “Castle Nowhere” tells of a man who explores an idealist wilderness only to
The transition can happen different ways, for Javris in “Castle Nowhere” is can also be argued that he undergoes more than one change. For argument’s sake, the beginning of the story can be said to lead the reader very quickly to the theme. Javis is exploring the northern area of Lake Michigan on what is described as a “…pilgrimage through the wilderness…” (Woolson 1). The diction is very specific to suggest the importance and possibly the spiritual nature of the trip as something that would cause a perspective alternation to the world around Javris. Connie, in “Where are you Going, Where Have You Been?” encounters the transition in a much different and darker way. She is brought to a very direct confrontation between childhood and adulthood by Arnold Friend, who may be an actual person, but better serves as a symbolic character impregnated with