Analyzing The Short Story 'Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?'

Although some may argue that the short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates, reveals that Connie’s materialistic ideals drove her actions which caused her ultimate demise, this position limits the importance of Connie’s repressed thoughts. Her repressed thoughts, identified through daydreams and inner dialogue, reveal her psychological efforts to protect herself from the imminent danger ahead. These thoughts form as she strives to achieve a differentiation of self from her older sister, yet her newfound identity becomes superficially based off how she believes she should behave around her peers. When Arnold Friend appears at her doorstep, even though Connie deploys her defense mechanisms of repression and denial, she remains vulnerable to Arnold because she does not acknowledge her repressed thoughts and only considers his superficial appearance. Once Connie’s repressed thoughts surface, her reality anxiety allows her to uncover Arnold Friend’s true intentions with her and shed light on Connie’s fatal flaw: her differentiation of self.

“Talking to the Dead” is a short story by Silvia Watanabe. According to her biography, she wants to save the stories that represent their community. In “Talking to the Dead,” we can find four main characters: Aunty, Clinton, Yuri and Yuri’s mother. Aunty and Clinton have a relationship mother and son quite peculiar. Although Aunty prepares her son since he was a child to continue in the family trade when Clinton becomes an adult, he markets his mother’s occupation and “brings the scientific spirit of free enterprise to the doorstep of the hereafter” as the author narrates it.

For many females, the mother, grandmother, or some female figure teaches or guides the adolescent female, but here Gramps teaches Grace. He teaches her morals and ethics; he teaches her how to survive. “True, Gramps arm her with counsel about how to survive winter, but she never experiences nothing like this” (Mordecai 133). Gramps is an educator, protector to Grace Healer. To Grace, Gramps is like Papa God.

Arnold Friend was there to take Connie away; away from her childhood and home, which never quite felt like home until her fantasy world deteriorated and reality set it. The next moment is pivotal, this is when Connie forgets her hedonism and becomes something of much more substance. Before Connie studies Arnold Friend’s abnormal personality and erratic behavior she is fascinated by him and even worries that she is ill prepared for this

Because of some statistics about women 's work, Hekker views her work as unique work which needs special care. However, the author mentions that people view her as an outsider, shamed, and out-of-date person because of her occupation. Hekker adds that other newer statistics put her hope down as the number of housewife mother is decreasing. Thus, the author clarifies that she must be treated as an important and unique creature because she is going to be one of the few housewives. Hekker concludes by mentioning that being a housewife is a heroic job if and only if the works that a housewife does is for children, husband, and house of someone else.

The fact that she makes efforts to meet the demands of her life as a nurse, wife, and mother, prove that she is a model for a modern woman and a caring housewife. Ali follows in his merchant father’s footsteps in traveling the world, while

Connie is self-centered; preoccupied with her looks to attract boys. She despises her parents and wishes that she could escape from her family. Freedom and men are what she desires most but sadly sometimes people are not careful for what they wish for. Arnold Friend is an evil and physical

In Joyce Oates story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” (rpt. in Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perinne’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 11th ed. [Boston: Wadsworth, 2012] 492- 506) Connie is a fifteen year old girl who would stereotypically, be considered “the girl next door,” and because of her certain actions, finds herself wishing she had chosen a different path. Connie is a usual teenage girl who is constantly checking herself in the mirror and always looking for whatever trouble she can get herself into. Contrary to Connie’s belief, good looks aren’t always a charm.

While unique characters are very valuable in various forms of literature, authors can successfully utilize stereotyped characters to achieve author’s purpose. The character of Mariane in Tartuffe by Molière is a stereotypical “damsel in distress”, as the other characters must help her while they combat the hypocrisy of Tartuffe. When Orgon, blinded by his reverence for Tartuffe, announces that Mariane is to marry Tartuffe, it causes conflict between characters. Mariane has to express her opinion and defy her father, so that she will not marry a hypocrite and liar, despite being a generally submissive person. In Molière’s Tartuffe, the author successfully employs a conventional character through Mariane, to demonstrate the strife that fanaticism and

Once she is called "Fisherman 's daughter," she snaps back to reality and gives up the dream of returning back to Yarmouth (733). The "fear of not being forgiv, fear of being pinted..fear of many things" deters her from returning to her home. In a sense, it is Emily 's fear that best represents both the change of her and her separation from Mr. Peggotty. Through these experiences, Emily has realized how her actions have affected her family, her community, and her status among the both. She realizes, as Rosa Dartle says, her "crimes" and that now, she must "hide" herself and "live obscure" (726).With this, we go back to Mr. Peggotty 's initial ignorance of Emily 's actions and the unrealistic expectations

When Ha and her family immigrated to The United States, Ha was rather pusillanimous and conducted herself in a timorous manner when presented with situations similar to the latter. She permitted contempt targeted towards her and didn 't make the slightest effort to defend herself. In addition to “verbal self -defense”, refugees exhibit resilience by exhibiting determination. The article “Welcome To America. Pack A Parka”by Jessica Huseman centers around the perseverance exhibited by teenage refugees when attending in English classes provided by The Newcomer’s Center in Anchorage, Alaska.

So let 's assume that Jolly gets paid what maybe $6-7 dollars an hour? That 's $114 dollars of debt and Jolly is extremely grateful because not many people in that city would do that, if they didn 't get paid they would ditch. But LaVaughn stays with Jolly and helps her through her hard times and makes sure that Jolly gets fixed (99). LaVaughn genuinely cares about what happens to Jolly and poor Jeremey and Jilly and wants to make it better, in a way she is a second mother to the kids because she was there all of the time. So when LaVaughn tells Jolly that she will help her is a miracle.

As stated by Brent, “When I found that my master had actually begun to build the lonely cottage, other feelings mixed with those I have described” (Brent, A Perilous Passage in The Slave Girl’s Life). She was hinting at an occurrence between Dr. Flint and herself, where it seems that he was pressuring her into giving him her purity. It was hard for anyone to stay pure if they were always coerced or even forced to engage in any sexual

Though many try to obtain free will, this difficult task often results in defeat. In the novels, Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the characters’ lives are predetermined; thus, driving them into mental instability. A predetermined life acts as a catalyst for mental deterioration. The protagonists suffer from depression as a result of their predetermined lives, as well as, the characters blindly obey their controllers, and have a longing to break free from being controlled. A study was conducted and determined that, “feeling trapped is a direct experience and symptom of inner passivity.

Since the age of 13 it has been common in our society for a young teenager to act older than they’re supposed to be. However, while some consider making there own money for doing minor labor work for their parents as “being responsible” Connie, a fifteen year old freshman, took it to whole different level. She was a reckless teenager who was all talk and no play. Instead of helping her parents out at home or thinking about her upcoming year in highschool all she wanted to do was flirt with older guys with her friends. She wanted to be involved with the wrong crowd and wanted to grow up way too quickly.