Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Literary Analysis
Throughout Joyce Carol Oates’s short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, it is evident that the main character, Connie, a teenage girl who equates her beauty to self-worth and love to the attention she receives from strangers at a local restaurant, has some issues with herself. Constantly being torn between two different locations, her home, a place where she feels trapped, worthless, and unloved by her family, and a local town, where she feels calm and secure spending time with boys and listening to music, Connie is led to confusion over who she really is and this leads to an unstable identity. In the story, Oates’s uses the literary element of setting, including both Connie’s actions and feelings and the physical descriptions of both Connie’s house and the local town, to develop both Connie’s character and the theme of self-identity, …show more content…
Analogous to Connie’s personality, this setting is split into two opposite places: Connie’s house, a place where Connie feels trapped and lost and suffers from insecurity, low self-esteem, and a general feeling of being unloved, and the nearby town, where she feels content and secure and gains a sense of confidence and power. Constantly being exposed to these two sharply contrasting environments leads Connie to develop an unstable identity, one which is always changing to match her surroundings, reflecting both the characteristics that others attribute to her and the atmosphere of the setting. Therefore, it can be argued that our own identity is not something that we are born with and that remains constant, but instead is something that acts like a mirror, only a reflection of what others see in us and the influences of our own
Smooth Talk Theme
592 Words | 3 PagesFilm Review Essay - “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and Smooth Talk “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” written by Joyce Carol Oates. The setting was in a suburban area in the 1960’s, America. The plot of the short story surrounds a teenage girl named Connie. Connie was going around the block experiencing the “Glories” of what a maturing teen girl could do, while at the same time having a poor relationship with her family.
In Joyce Carol Oates 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?'?
2015 Words | 9 PagesConnie, in Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” encounters this experience, and falls victim to danger. Connie’s conscience will place her in a dream to help her see the threat that will be coming her way if she does not stop. Connie is a fifteen year old girl filled with insecurities, and depends on others’ reactions to her to make
Arnold Friend Symbolism
1290 Words | 6 PagesJoyce Carol Oates’ short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” expresses the dream of all teenagers, to grow up quickly. Throughout the story Connie’s wish to transition from childhood to maturity is juxtaposed; in the beginning she yearns to be older, but as the story progresses and she is forced to grow up, she crumbles. Unable to know who she truly is, Connie’s innocence slowly diminishes once she unveils Arnold Friend’s true, uncanny personality, leading Connie from the safety of her childhood to the unknowns of the real world showing the innocence of kids is lost before they are ready. Symbolism and setting in the story intertwine to portray both Connie’s desired and forced transition through various locations. Note that in
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Smooth Talk Essay
1005 Words | 5 PagesDue to Connie’s personality type, she is faced with risky decisions every day; for example, Connie crossed a busy highway only to hang out with older teenagers at a restaurant, where she met boys she liked and one boy, named Arnold Friend, who she did not like (Oates 325). Arnold Friend became Connie’s psychopathic stalker who seemed to know everything about her. To top it all off, Connie’s mother was jealous of her good looks, and would compare her to her older successful sister, June (Oates 323). “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is an educational read because of how many audiences it can easily relate to and affect. Not only does the short story provide intellect on the dangers of how rapists may go about their routines, but it also shows the reader the life of a broken
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Comparison
1203 Words | 5 PagesIn “The Flowers”, Alice Walker explores the woods through the eyes of a little girl named Myop, but she soon realizes the world isn’t as nice as flowers. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, Joyce Carol Oates follows a young girl named Connie who is focused on others and her own appearance, until she is introduced to the world in a unexpected way. Both Walker and Oates use young girls to show the harsher sides of the world and how their childhood changes to adulthood in different ways. The main thing that Myop and Connie have in common is that they are both females, but their looks and the way the live are totally different.
Archetypes In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
1428 Words | 6 PagesHome is where the heart is, but what if home is no longer safe? Joyce Carol Oates explores this concept in her 1966 short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”. On surface level, this story appears to discuss a rebellious young girl named Connie and her confrontation with Arnold Friend, a stalker. The ending leaves the reader to assume that Arnold Friend plans to sexually assault the young girl.
Symbolism In 'Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?'
700 Words | 3 PagesIn the coming of age story “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates uses symbolism, conflict, and the third person to foreshadow fifteen-year-old Connie’s unfortunate, yet untimely fate. While one may think that the conflict stems from Connie’s promiscuity, it is clear to see her promiscuity is only a result to a much bigger conflict, her mother’s constant nagging and disapproval, alongside the lack of attention from her father. the author paints a vivid picture of what happens when a fifteen-year-old girl such as Connie goes elsewhere to find to find the love, attention, and approval that she lacks at home. All which is vital for her growth and wellbeing as a person.
Literary Devices In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
804 Words | 4 PagesIn her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Joyce Carol Oates utilizes a variety of literary devices to strengthen the story in its entirety. This short story is essentially about a 16-year-old girl named Connie and the conflict between her desire to be mature and her desire to remain an adolescent. Throughout the story, the audience sees this conflict through her words in addition to through her behavior. The audience is also introduced to Arnold Friend, a rather peculiar man, who essentially kidnaps her. This short story by Joyce Carol Oates functions and is additionally meaningful because of her usage of literary devices.
Feral Diction In St. Lucy's Home For Girls Raised By Wolf
462 Words | 2 PagesIn the story, “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves”, the author, Karen Russell, uses feral diction to establish that although people strive for perfectionism in their lives, people cannot become someone or something that they are not, thus causing a loss of identity. Russell uses feral diction in “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves” to prove that people cannot change who the are. For example, Kyle tried to talk to Claudette, but just succeeded in annoying her instead. Claudette immediately reacted and, according to the story, “I narrowed my eyes at Kyle and flattened my ears, something I hadn’t done for months” (249).
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Psychological Analysis
657 Words | 3 PagesThe short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted in a multitude of ways due to its ambiguity. A psychological lens, however, provides the most accurate viewpoint for analyzing the story as it clarifies certain obscure scenes and actions of Connie. One psychological issue of Connie that is easily inferred from the beginning of the story is her insecurity about her looks. Connie constantly worries about the way that she looks and takes any opportunity to do so, “craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people's faces to make sure her own was all right” (1).
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Arnold Friend Analysis
817 Words | 4 PagesIn Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Connie is a fifteen-year-old girl, who does not necessarily get along with her family. During the week, she often times goes to a shopping plaza with some of her friends. However, they sneak across the highway to go to a popular diner where the older crowd hangs out at. At home, Connie is often times arguing with her family. One day her family is invited to her aunt's barbecue but Connie refuses to go.
Character Analysis Of Connie In 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been'
984 Words | 4 Pages“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” is about a teenager named Connie who is trying to come to terms with her transformation from childhood to adulthood. Through this process, Connie attempts to act older than she is an tries to gain the attention of boys. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” Joyce Oates portrays Connie as obsessed with men to symbolize how one’s obsession and narcissistic attitude can cause danger to seem surreal. In the short story, Carol Oates describes Connie as having two different personalities, one being a narcissistic attitude.
Hi Howya Doin Literary Analysis
781 Words | 4 PagesThe New and Lonesome Normal Joyce Oates’s “Hi Howya Doin” depicts the violence that has captured and encapsulated today’s culture. The un-deemed murder of an innocent jogger in the end of this story validates and justifies the fear that so many individuals feel. In Oates’s short story, “Hi Howya Doin”, the protagonist is depicted as a “Good-looking husky guy six-foot-four in the late twenties or early thirties, Caucasian male…..solid built as a fire hydrant, carries himself like an athlete, or an ex-athlete” (214). Through the police report, giving the description of the protagonist, Oates foretells his surprising fate at the beginning of the story which in turn, creates tension and suspense for the reader as the protagonist goes about what
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Literary Analysis
694 Words | 3 PagesIn Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” the main protagonist finds herself in a very hostile situation. With an all most fateful encounter with a man known as Arnold Friend. Forcing her to choose whether to run off with him or taking her by force. This man known as Arnold Friend to the reader comes off as almost a demon. A person who uses many temptations, word play, and threats to take advantage of the young protagonist Connie.
Analysis Of Where Are You Going And Sonny's Blues
1230 Words | 5 Pages“At its most basic, every story is an attempt to answer the question What happened?” (Norton 85) One of the most significant elements in a short story is plot. Plot is construct by authors and they rearrange the character’s action in a consequential way to shape our response and interpretation (Norton 85). In "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates and "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin, they use similar plot styles that contributes to the process of maturation for characters in the stories.
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