“Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” should not be read through a fantasy/allegorical lens‚ but through a lens of reality. Reading it through the former limits the potency of the story. Everything that takes place in the story is believable‚ and in fact‚ many details of the story are based on real events. Arnold Friend is based on Charles Schmid‚ a real life serial killer who was responsible for the murder of three young girls. Schmid was arrested in 1965 for the rape and murder of Allen Rowe;
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In the story “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been” by Joyce Oates‚ the audience explores the story of Connie‚ a normal teenage girl‚ who meets Arnold Friend‚ a seemingly harmless character at first‚ but we later come to find out that he has been stalking her and Arnold
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“[Connie] had a quick‚ nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right.” (1) In the story “Where are you going‚ where have you been?” the author Joyce Carol Oates‚ deliberately shows us the level of innocence of the protagonist Connie‚ as well as the similar features an inexperienced young girl who lived in 1966 compares to those of a young girl who is raised in our era. Young teenage girls in 1966 are no different
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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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In Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been Joyce Carol Oates uses compelling themes to convey real life issues to the readers. She also exploits many references to well know fairytales through symbols and motifs. This short story shares the theme of good versus evil to the fairytales Cinderella‚ Rapunzel and Snow White. The theme of evil is first expressed through Connie’s and Cinderella’s afflictions with their sisters that shape the essence of sibling rivalry. Like Cinderella‚ Connie’s sister
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Going through life‚ adapting to changes as you grow older and transforming from a young and reckless‚ naïve child into a working‚ responsible adult could be very fearful. Change itself is one of the biggest fears people encounter each and every day. Having to do things on their own‚ or figuring out if the decisions they make are right and if their experiences are going to help them or just hurt them more in the long run. In Connie’s experience with Arnold Friend‚ whether it is real or a dream‚ the
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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
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Be Careful What You Wish For Anything that is too much is harmful. The main character in "Where are you going‚ Where have you been?" Connie‚ faces the end conclusion of her shallow ways when she is approached by evil in human form. She had an excess of self-confidence. This self-confidence leads to a false sense of security and bad reputation. Connie also had a large amount of bad choices. She would do her best to impress boys with her looks; eventually she impressed the wrong guy. This
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February‚ 4‚ 2015 Short Story Essay #1 “Where are you going‚ Where have you been” The short story about Connie deals with the experience of a young girl that is haunted by her good looks and cryptic behaviors. Inspired by a Life article of a serial killer‚ Oates created the story to: “It was not the number of murders that intrigued me‚ but the disturbing fact that a number of teenagers –from “good” families—aided and abetted his crimes” (Oates 68). Her interpretation of the murder of Alleen Rowe
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The Fantasy of Life In the novels The Great Gatsby and "Where Are You Going and Where Have You Been" authors F. Scott Fitzgerald and Joyce Carol Oates show a theme of fantasy versus reality to convey a deeper meaning within their novels. They express this theme using characters such as Gatsby‚ Connie‚ Daisy and Arnold Friend within the stories. Through these characters lives and experiences the theme is created connecting both stories. The theme of fantasy versus reality is used to a great extent
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