“Where are you going‚ Where have you been” Analysis Evette Paden Shorter University “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been‚” is a chilling tale of rape and murder with a plot to create suspense. On a symbolic level it becomes a metaphor for simplicity and innocence. Oates’ use of literal and figurative‚ psychological and allegorical levels makes this story a powerful and fascinating story. One contributing factor to this story’s power is her depiction of the two main characters’ double
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Commentary on "Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been" 10/17/06 Joyce Carol Oates has achieved many things through her writing‚ and is recognized worldly for her short story "Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?" This story is centered on a young teenage girl as many of her stories are. Oates as a writer is fascinated with adolescence of young females. She chooses to write about the trials and tribulations of growing up in modern society. She pries on the dark aspects of youth often
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Women have built an image for themselves over the years as independent‚ strong‚ and smart. However‚ the women in the following stories represent a different image for women. In both short stories‚ “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?”‚ the protagonists are lured by their bad decisions leading to their demise; the victims’ bad decisions along with the criminals’ bad intentions led to death creating the plot of both stories. Although‚ the stories have the same
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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
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Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” is about a 15 year old girl named Connie. Connie is the dark blond haired girl who catches all the attention and knows she looks good. The story is somewhat journalistic in the sense that there are few extreme stylistic flourishes or complicated sentence structures. Oates’s spare style allows the images in the story to stand out in realistic coherence‚ in a way that makes one feel they have some unexplainable importance. “There’s your
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persona. With this liberty‚ the identity of an individual isn’t limited to one set of characteristics as many external and internal situations either influence the cognitive decision making complex of humans. In the short story‚ "Where are you going‚ where have you been?" by Joyce Carol Oates‚ reveals through the characterization of Connie and her settings the duality of human beings. Also‚ using symbols and patterns to strongly put emphasis on how the underdeveloped mind of adolescents make way for impressions
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Wrong Impressions The short story‚ “Where Are You going‚ Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates explains how a young girl was struggling to find herself. Oates writes about a girl named Connie who was 16 years old and was lost in a world of fantasy. Connie had a split personality/image while at home and when she was out with her friends. Living in a world of fantasy‚ Connie would ignore her family by tuning them out and being distant. Connie would constantly be in front of the mirror admiring
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Fiction Analysis Where are you going‚ Where have you been? The story is based in 1960s American suburbs and is told through the eyes of a teenager named Connie. The theme of the story revolves around Connie and her feelings as it is basically told through the eyes of a teenager. The reader is first introduced to the main character Connie and the theme of innocence is established. The first parts of the essay tell us how Connie does not get along with her mother or her sister. It is shown in some
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seem to think of any danger that might arise from the car. Any aware person would lock the door and have the phone ready to call the police but not this girl. This girl is easily lured into a trap and taken away from everything she loved. This girl is the protagonist‚ Connie‚ from Joyce Carol Oates short story “Where are you going‚ Where have you been.” Rather than heed the gut feeling most readers have at this moment in the story‚ Connie ignorantly emerges from her house and engages the stranger‚ Arnold
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people views in innocence is freedom from sin‚ moral wrong‚ or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil. At some point in everyone’s life they will eventually lose there innocence‚ it just depends on the choices they have made. In Joyce Carol Oates “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been.” She uses characterization and imagery to show how Connie is dealing with the loss of her innocence Oates characterization of Arnold Friend shows how Connie’s perspective of Arnold and his looks leads to the deception
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