Innocence “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” presents many themes and symbols to the reader. One that jumped out at me while reading the story was the overall feeling of innocence. Joyce Carol Oates shows us innocence from the very beginning of the story to the end where Connie loses self-control and power. From the first paragraph of the story we learn that Connie is a young fifteen year old who longs for attention and acceptance. I was able to relate to the story better when I paused
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to it‚ one for home and one for anywhere that was not home...." The first quote is from “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?”‚ written by Joyce Carol Oates. It is in reference to Connie‚ who is a teenager. She is no longer a girl‚ yet she is not a woman. She would leave home she looking one way and arrive at her destination another way. 2. She would have been a good woman . . . if it had been someone there to shoot her every minute of her life." The second quote is from “A Good Man Is Hard
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The dramatic irony of “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” conveys the tone of warning about temptation. Connie’s situation is that she does not feel appreciated at home and uses her looks and actions to get attention and appreciation from boys even if it is short-term. She is self-conscious about her looks and is constantly worried about how other people perceive her. Friend’s fantasy is that Connie will willingly go with him and be his “lover” (605) even before he officially met her. The
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Connie’s Paradigm In Joyce Carol Oates’ short story‚ “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” we follow the main character Connie as she faces an inner transformation. The author introduces Connie as a vain and inexperienced adolescent who seems to daydream about things she doesn’t quite understand as she has more of a naive idea of what adulthood is all about. She takes pleasure in having control over everyone and everything around her. These ideas as well as her security are shaken when the
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In Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been‚” Arnold Friend‚ a conniving antagonist‚ charms a naive teenager named Connie into believing he will rescue her from her inattentive family. However‚ at the story’s climax‚ Connie fears for her life yet cannot resist Arnold’s temptations. Although details of Friend’s appearance‚ speech‚ and actions should warn Connie of his evil intentions‚ through Oates’s portrayal of Friend as a devil-figure‚ Connie is easily “conned” foreshadowing
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Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” is the haunting saga of a fifteen year old girl’s moral struggles that has resonated with readers since the story’s initial publication. Arnold Friend is a mystery of a character; his origins and nature have been debated time and time again. The real answer is that there is no real answer‚ and Arnold Friend is a character with a nature entirely up to the individual interpretation of any one reader. It can certainly be agreed
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The protagonist of Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” is a vain and stubborn girl named Connie. Fifteen years old‚ she believes beauty is everything and is nothing short of rebellious‚ maintaining two different personas: one for at home with her family and one for going out with her friends. One night out with her girl friends‚ Connie spots a young man watching her. He promises to come get her. The next day‚ the man comes to Connie’s house‚ keeping his word‚ and spends
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significant in a person’s life and it can be different for men and women. Not all transitions to adulthood are peaceful; they can violent transitions as seen in Richard Wright’s The Man Who Was Almost a Man and Joyce Carol Oates’ Where are You Going‚ Where Have You Been. These two stories reflect how males and females are represented differently in society through the protagonist violent transition to adulthood. The Man Who Was Almost A Man by Richard Wright is about a young adult named Dave who wishes
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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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“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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