The Inelucet Coming of Age Naive - showing a lack of experience, wisdom and judgement (Google). The short fiction story, “Where are you going, Where have you been” written by Joyce Carol Oates centralizes itself amongst the state of being naive. Connie, a young fifteen year old, consumes her everyday life by dreaming of sacred adulthood, or nonetheless freedom from the hands of her home, her family and her innocence. The story introduces the idea of coming of age through various literary devices. The authors use of these various literary devices, alludes the theme of the story may only be available to those who are open minded to the sublime context. Or in contrast, the theme of the story is free for the readers interpretation of the fictional …show more content…
At this age, she is sheltered from the realism that comes along with adulthood, the responsibility, the dangers and the effort. Connie is naive. The term naive coins Connie’s craving of adulthood. The authors use of motif throughout the story drives the theme of the story home. The motif being, despite Connie’s strong desire for adulthood, she has yet to acquire the need for adulthood; Once you take a glimpse at adulthood, you can’t unsee it, you can’t turn back, you can’t just change your mind. Starting right off the bat, Joyce Carol Oates describes Connie as being a fifteen year old with”a quick, nervous habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all alright” (316) bringing attention to the amount of insecurity and need for reassurance immersed within Connie. This statement continues although this time describing her mother as someone who “noticed everything and knew everything and who hadn’t much reason to look at her own face” (316) bringing into comparison the difference between Connie and her mother, a child and a mother, of childhood and of adulthood. From Connie’s perspective her mother is always on her back because of a theory that her family dislikes her. “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister? How’ve you got your hair fixed- what the hell stinks? Hairspray? You don’t see your sister using that junk” (317) …show more content…
Like music in a movie, as the action increases, the music increases, we can relate this to the story as well, as Connie begins to become nearer to adulthood, the more clear the music becomes.. The common occurrence of background music occurs frequently throughout the story, which keeps adding integrity to the motif of the story, once you have it, there’s no turning back. In this story, music symbolizes the suspense of adulthood. Jane went out on the town with her friends, “her walk which could be child like and bobbing, or languid enough to make anyone think she was hearing music in her head”(318) bringing to the reader’s attention that Jane wants to be perceived as mature and adult like in this scenario hence the author's addition of music to this scene.“ Her face gleaming with a joy that had nothing to do with Eddie or even this place; it might have been the music”(318). Once again, the author incorporates music into the background of the scene to add to the importance of Connie’s push for maturation and desire for whats on the other side. As the girls got picked up from their nightly adventure and were headed toward home the author states, “she couldn’t hear the music at this distance” (319) giving the implication that once Connie is back under the watch of an elder, she isn’t free to be herself and act as if she is an adult, she is pushed back into her lone shell of childhood. When Connie is
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been is a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates, centered on the protagonist 15 year old Connie. In this short story Oates sets the frame-work for religious allegory- the seduction of a young woman coming to terms with the hand she has been dealt as a result of her choices [you need to something here] similar to that of Eve (Urbanski, 1978). In the first paragraph, we are introduced to Connie who is an eccentric, and spoiled fifteen year old with middle class parents. We become aware of the fact that Connie has an unhappy home life, the story states that her father “was away at work most of the time," and he "didn't bother talking much to them,"(422); as a result, Connie never received any form of love
Approaching Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates through a feminist lens significantly contributes to the development of the themes of female vulnerability and the oppressive nature of a patriarchal society. To begin with, Oates portrays the teenage girl protagonist, Connie, as a victim of societal expectations and male objectification. Connie’s mother constantly criticizes her appearance and behaviour, reinforcing the idea that a woman’s worth lies in her conformity to traditional gender roles. This message is particularly delivered as Connie’s mother says, “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister?
In “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.
The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” was written by the author Joyce Carol Oates in 1966. Oates describes her idea for the story after briefly reading an article about the real-life murderer, Charles Schmid, who lured and murdered three teenage girls (Kirszner & Mandell 523). She uses this idea to create the character, Arnold Friend, and his victim, Connie. Connie is a typical teenage girl portrayed as naïve and self-centered. The short story appears realistic, given that the conflict in the story is based off of real events.
Home 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.
In 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.
When Connie realizes that Arnold is much older than she thought, she is taken over by fear of what’s going to happen. This situation is much different than anything else she has ever
Arnold Friend’s Biblical Allusions In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Joyce Carol Oates tells a story of a young, innocent teenage girl, Connie who enjoys listening to music and begins exploring her sexuality and being with boys “the way it was in the movies and promised in songs” (Oates 198). In fact she catches the attention of Arnold Friend one night while at the mall meeting up with a boy. Not knowing he would appear in her life, Arnold strangely shows up at her house assuming they made plans to get together. His character is seen as the devil.
She spends countless hours "checking other people's faces to make sure her own was all right" (Oates 1). This focus on her looks is a means to gain attention and assert her individuality, distancing herself from her family, particularly her mother and sister. Her rebellion against her family further illustrates her desire for autonomy. Connie's mother often compares her unfavorably to her responsible sister, June, fueling Connie's determination to be different (Oates 2). Connie's attraction to boys is another manifestation of her desire for independence and excitement.
In 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.
The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is about a teenage girl named Connie who is in the mist of her adolescent rebellion. She wants to prove her maturity to others and herself. In the story, Oates describes that Connie always lets her mind flow freely in between her daydream. She even creates and keeps dreaming about her ideal male figure in her mind to make her happy and satisfied. Oates allows the reader to step into Connie’s “dream world” through the appearance of Arnold Friend.
The 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).
Apparent in the beginning stages of the short story, Connie despises her sister, June, for the glory she receives for being the reliable child. She hates her mother for liking her sister more than her,
Connie’s first encounter with Friend was at a diner when he stated to Connie, “Gonna get you, baby”(pg.1142). Because Connie was use to this type of attention, she did not view it as strange that an older man was calling her in such away. However, if Connie had seen Friend as dangerous instead of just another man, her kidnapping might have been prevented. Later in the story when Friend showed up as Connie’s house, she walked outside and talked to him instead of questioning how he knew where she lived or calling the police. Oates described Connie's interaction with Friend by stating,“Connie liked the way he was dressed, which was the way all of them dressed: tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pullover shirt that was a little soiled and showed the hard muscles of his arms and shoulders”(pg.1145).
In 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.