Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Everyone experiences transitions in their lives. Sometimes these changes are insignificant, like a change in schools. Sometimes these can be major life changing events, like the passage from childhood to adulthood. In Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, the author uses a borderline crime story to investigate a loss of innocence and the unknown future. The author begins conveying her message with the title, which shows the thought of passing of time throughout life. “Where are you going,” suggests something of the future, where as the phrase, “where have you been” hints towards the past. This message is seen throughout the plot and it’s characters. The basic elemental roots of “Where Are You Going, Where