Finding Her Identity: An Analysis of “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been? Joyce Carol Oates‚ “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been is about a fifteen year old girl named Connie who is searching for her independence from her mother. The exposition is in the month of July at their home‚ where Connie is being scolded by her mother about her being obsessed with her looks. Her mother says‚ “Stop gawking at yourself. Who are you? You think you’re so pretty? (171) Her mother wants her to be more
Premium Family Marriage Mother
Where Are You Going ‚Where Have You Been is a story written by Joyce Carol. The story talks about this fifthteen year old girl named Connie. Connie is the young child in her family. Her mother and her does not have a great relationship‚ because she is always being compared to her old sister June. Connie goes out with her friends to the mall. They walk pass this gold cadillac where this man named Arnold Friend says that he is going to get her. On Sunday her family went to BBQ and Connie decided to
Premium Joyce Carol Oates Short story Fiction
In Joyce Carol Oates’s short story‚ “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” (1966)‚ Connie is an adolescent that faces literal and psychological challenges. Within the conflicts of the story‚ there are two compelling questions that allow you to take a special interest of a deeper meaning. Taken from the title‚ where has Connie been? Where is Connie going? In a surprising twist‚ the story is not only about a naïve girl that gets lured out of her home by an older gentleman‚ but can also be taken
Premium Joyce Carol Oates Short story Fiction
Wicked The real world chooses to hide the wickedness of mankind‚ while the world of fiction chooses to highlight it. In the stories “The Overcoat” by Nikolai Gogol‚ “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez‚ and “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates‚ especially highlight the time the horrible aspects of man. Each one highlighting the corruption of man in their own unique way. The social hierarchy is a key part to the wickedness of mankind. This is a
Premium Nikolai Gogol The Overcoat Joyce Carol Oates
Two jobs you have had When I was young‚ my mother usually asked me that “what job do you want to do in future?” and my answer is always “I would like to be a good teacher”. However‚ my enthusiasm for teaching has gradually changed during the passing time because I recognize myself from business. In my opinion‚ there are three different points between teaching and business as mentioned below. The first significant difference between business and teaching is personality. People say that “teaching
Premium Psychology
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
Carol Oates "Where are you going‚ Where have you been?" is one that has had many interpretations over there years‚ by many literary critics and readers alike‚ generating a vast list of themes and meanings to the story. Some have declared the story to be a "feminist allegory‚" while others argue that one of the main characters‚ Arnold‚ is a "savior" or "messiah figure‚" as popular figures during the 1960’s were to young girls like Connie‚ the main character. Though many interpretations have been made
Premium Joyce Carol Oates Short story Fiction
Weinberger’s article makes many interesting points about the character of Arnold Friend in “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been”- the main idea being that Arnold represents Connie’s “other self”. According to the article‚ this can be observed in how Connie and Arnold are opposites in both appearance and behavior‚ and Arnold’s purpose is to induct Connie into adulthood. I disagree with the idea that Arnold is Connie. While the article gathered a lot of good evidence to support this claim‚ I
Premium Woman Gender Marriage
negative connotations. It is closely associated with conceit or disdain. James Hurst short story “The Scarlet Ibis‚”pride is the perspective of Brother‚ a young man whose pride becomes a destructive force in his life. He uses the tragic relationship of two brothers to demonstrate the themes of pride. The memory of which will keep Brother on the alert for pride for the rest of his life. “When Doodle was five years old‚ I was embarrassed at having a brother of that age who couldn’t walk.” (346)
Premium Disability Shame Embarrassment
“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;
Premium Crime Murder Law