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Character Analysis of Connie Essay Example

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Character Analysis of Connie Essay Example
Dr. Fontenot

ENGL1002-08

March 31, 2011

A Character Analysis of Connie of "Where

Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates. In this story, the main character Chonnie is a fifteen year old permiscuous young girl. Connie is also a very beautiful girl and grabs the attention of many boys. She especially grabs the attention of a boy she sees riding in a gold car that seems to be stalking her. Then one day her family leaves her alone and she notices the boy in the car comes to her house and she finds out that he seems to know everything about her. He demands that Connie come to him and in then th story ends as Connie walks out the house toward the mysterious boy. Connie is sexually active, scared, and deceitful.

Connie is sexually active. Oates states how Connie knows she is beautiful and she gets a great deal of attention from boys. Connie knows she is gorgeous, so when she goes out, she shows off her body more. When Connie meets the older boy in the resturant, she spends hours with him, and they went in an abandoned alley. Connie often states that she believes sex is a beautiful and fun feeling. Going with this stranger Connie has just met for hours implies she is sexually active in some way. What Oates is trying to say about young girls in general is that by showing off their bodies and meeting with older boys, sex will be pressured onto them. More young females will want to become more sexually active by assuming sex is all good and fun.

Connie is scared. Connie does not seem to be afraid of anything. However, once this stranger appears at her house, she becomes a bit more frightened. Connie was always used to doing what she wanted with whomever she wanted. Along came Arnold, who commanded her to come to him and do things with him. Suddenly, Connie does not have the choice anymore. He threatens to harm her family so she is scared and cannot bring herself to
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