As humans‚ we tend to suffer from some sort of flaw in our character that cripples us from being able to have a successful life‚ this flaw could lead people to make disastrous decisions that can lead to unfortunate outcomes. Two examples of such can be found in the characters Laura and Connie from the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and “Where Have You Going‚ Where Are You Been?” by Carol Oates respectively. By psychoanalyzing both Laura and Connie‚ it becomes evident‚ through actions
Premium Marriage Family Woman
Music in “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” In the story‚ repetition and strands of music take on a role of a character for Connie‚ offering a safe haven for a troubled girl. Throughout the story “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have you Been?”‚ Oates uses the element of strands and repetition of music to create a safe haven for Connie in which she can escape. The theme from a 1950’s song “It’s all Over Now‚ Baby Blue.” By Bob Dylan connects to the theme of escaping from “Where Are You Going
Premium Short story Fiction Feeling
Death is something humans all naturally fear‚ but what about when it comes to death of a phase in your life?Through the themes of duality and reality vs. fantasy‚ Oats takes us on a journey through Connie’s transformation. Imagery and symbols throughout the story strengthen the main themes to show the contrast of Connie’s fantasies and reality. “Where are you going‚ where have you been.”‚ leaves us with the question can we handle such a change? Good and evil‚ yin and yang‚ the idea of everything
Premium Family Woman Mother
In “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?”‚ by Joyce Carol Oates‚ the setting creates division between innocence and adulthood. In the story‚ the protagonist is a complicated and confrontational young woman named Connie. The narrator explains that “Everything about her had to sides to it” (Oates 1). Connie has two personas‚ the person she is at home and the rebellious and carefree young woman she is away from her home. Throughout the plot‚ the doorway symbolizes a threshold that Connie has to
Premium Joyce Carol Oates Short story Fiction
Charles Schmid‚ the serial killer that Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been? was based on‚ would try to look like Elvis Presley to lure girls to him. Music is a motif that shows up in the story multiple times. Joyce Carol Oates uses music to show Connie’s comfort‚ emotion‚ and the bait that lured Connie to Arnold. First of all‚ Oates uses it to show when Connie feels comfortable. For example‚ “... the music was always in the background‚ like music at a church service‚ it was something to depend
Premium Joyce Carol Oates Fiction Short story
The decline of the societal and cultural values during 1960s can be seen through Joyce Carol Oates’‚ “Where are you going‚ Where have you been?” The story‚ which narrates the fatal destiny of fifteen year old Connie‚ shows the rise of a pop-culture/music guided society‚ it also shows the rise of the sexual revolution and the disregard for women‚ and the negligence of parents at the time. In the story the devil is represented by ARNOLD FRIEND‚ who at the end of the story seduces Connie into her own
Premium Elvis Presley Joyce Carol Oates
The story “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been” is essentially about a young woman’s strive for independence‚ which eventually leads to conflict. Girls today appear as mature women and in addition‚ are put into adult situations sometimes unwillingly. Oates portrays a social issue that relates to this current society by using symbolism and characterization while taking the reader on a journey throughout the thoughts and feelings of a teenage girl. There are two main symbols the author uses
Premium Beauty contest Beauty Childhood
In “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” the author uses clothes as a symbol to reveal our protagonist and antagonist individualities. Connie who is our protagonist is a fifteen-year-old girl who has the habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors. Connie wears a pullover jersey blouse that looked one way when she is home and another way when she is away‚ in where she wears shorts. In the text‚ it states that “They must have been familiar sights walking around the shopping plaza in their
Premium Family The Great Gatsby Marriage
Teenagers in general are often stereotyped into one general category: unruly‚ uncaring‚ and self-absorbed. In the short story “Where are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates plays on this stereotype. She uses imagery and point of view to direct the reader’s attention to the teenage girl psyche‚ selfish‚ whimsical‚ and longing for attention and affection‚ and how this stereotypical psyche can be distorted and controlled. The protagonist of the story‚ Connie‚ is a vain‚ “typical”
Premium Psychology Fiction English-language films
“Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is a short story that brings many girl’s nightmares to life. The story is one about a young‚ naïve girl named Connie‚ and her deranged abductor‚ Arnold Friend. Oates uses the setting in Connie’s life to create a very realistic situation. Oates also uses descriptive language to create vivid images of the setting‚ charters‚ and the emotions Connie feels. By analyzing Connie’s home setting and the descriptive language Oates uses‚ we will
Premium Family Marriage Woman