fundamental. “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been‚” written by Joyce Carol Oates introduces these “ills” of the 20th century to be examined in a more psychological depth. This ominous literal piece unfolds the story of protagonist Connie‚ a self-absorbed‚ disoriented‚ beautiful fifteen-year old girl‚ living in the early 1960’s who is placed with fear‚ stalked‚ and eventually abducted by antagonist Arnold Fiend. Connie not only is at odds with her family but also at a crossroad between defining the
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Have you ever had a nightmare that is so realistic it speeds up your heart rate and takes your very breath away? In Joyce Carol Oates’s 1966 “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?”‚ she tells a story of a teenager by the name of Connie. Connie has a fate of being kidnapped by a strange man that seems to know everything about her. Connie is a typical adolescent with a vivid imagination and a difficult‚ unstructured home. She is at a delicate time in her life of transitioning to find her “own”
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“Where are you going‚ where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates represents emotional abuse in relationships and how easy it is to manipulate young minds. Connie is a beautiful‚ self indulgent 15 year old girl. Her mother is very overbearing and praises her 24 year old sister‚ June‚ more than her. June is everything that Connie isn’t. She works hard to make money on her own‚ helps her parents around the house‚ and is mature and independent. Connie strives to receive attention and praise that her
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of our personality is fantasy oriented and irrational. Joyce Carol Oates places Arnold in her short story‚ “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” Arnold Friend represents the id in Connie’s personality. Everything Connie wishes about her life is exactly what Arnold represents. Arnold sets Connie free and gives her the things she has
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In‚ “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates shares a story about a fifteen-year-old girl named Connie who encounters Arnold Friend‚ a predator whose first words to Connie are‚ “Gonna get you‚ baby” (Oates). One day‚ while Connie is home alone‚ she receives an unexpected visitor from the mysterious boy she saw the other night while hanging
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One story from the short story unit that depicts impossibilities is “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been.” Connie’s vanity is not abnormal; many teenagers who are her age and attractive act the same way. The impossibility of the story appears in the form of Arnold Friend. Whether he is Satan‚ a serial killer‚ Jesus‚ Bob Dylan‚ or none of the above‚ his presence seems odd. Arnold Friend seems to know too much about Connie’s life to simply be a stalker. He know that the rest of Connie’s family
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In Joyce Carol Oates’ "Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?" and Estrella Alfon’s "Servant Girl‚ firm actions brought by male characters caused women to reveal their true nature. Rosa‚ from Estrella Alfon’s Servant girl is a very humble lady who is consciously aware of two men having interest in her. First is the cochero‚ whom he calls Angel‚ is the man who lived in her fantasies after their encounter and second is Sancho‚ the other guy‚ is her admirer who seems to possess the the opposite trait
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There are many similarities between the short stories "A&P" and "Where are you going‚ Where have you been?" most notably their characters. Both stories contain a female protagonist‚ and a male antagonist‚ whose confrontations start out relatively normal‚ and progress to more and more surreal and twisted endings. Their main characters‚ Sammy and Connie‚ are shockingly similar‚ and yet strangely different‚ one a 15 year old wishing to be older and beautiful‚ the other An eighteen year old boy from
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What will happen to you? Every person comes face to face at some point in life with vital decisions. Some of the decisions are minor ones‚ while others can bring turning points in life. In Joyce Carol Oates’ "Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?" she displays a particular instant in the main character’s life. This character‚ Connie was caught in the difficult transition from her youth and innocence to a doubtful future. Throughout the story Connie alternates between two very different sides
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on careers‚ friends‚ school and family. "How do I know I made the right decision?" "What career do I wish to pursue?" "Why is this change so difficult?" Some‚ at times‚ even wish that they had an influence or guide to help them. For many‚ this is where the parents step in. Parents are meant to support and help an adolescent when needed‚ especially during this difficult transition. However‚ this is not always the case. Some parents allow the adolescent to make the move alone and endure the hard times
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