Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been By Joyce Carol Oates

In the short story titled “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, Joyce Carol Oates introduces us to Connie, a narcissistic, rebellious, and naïve fifteen-year-old girl coming into a world of sexuality and adulthood she thinks she’s ready for. Unknown by her parents, she regularly spends the evenings exploring her individuality and freedom by flirting with teenage boys at her local diner. One evening, she catches the attention of a creepy and strange boy named Arnold Friend, who later shows up at her house unannounced with the intention to take her away. Needless to say, any person reading this will not be prepared to witness the ending of the story, or of a young woman’s loss of innocence and life. Although “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” has been interpreted many ways by scholars and writers alike, I believe the interpretation that best fits this narrative is Connie’s search for independence that eventually leads to a brutal outcome.

Lawrence, while a friend of Tackett, had not previously met Loveless. Upon arrival, they borrowed some clothes from Loveless, and she showed them a knife, telling them she was going to scare Shanda Sharer with it. While Tackett, Rippey, and Lawrence had never met Sharer prior to that night, Tackett already knew of Loveless’ plan to intimidate the 12-year-old girl. Loveless explained to the two other girls that she disliked Sharer for being a copycat and for stealing her girlfriend. Tackett let Rippey drive the four girls to Jeffersonville, Indiana, where Sharer had stayed with her father on the weekends, stopping at a McDonald's restaurant on the way to ask for directions.

The author of “Two Kinds”, Amy Tan creates a touching story by making the mother a static protagonist because she tries to make her daughter into someone she’s not, puts pressure and emotional stress on the main character, and doesn’t accept her daughter for who she already is. Suyuan brings the majority of the conflict to the story. The mother brings conflict into the story when she attempts to make June into someone she is not after comparing her to other children that she sees on television. For example, in the third paragraph the author writes “We’d watch Shirley’s old movies on TV as though they were training films” (Tan, 471). That part of the story indicates that the mother is trying to train June into becoming just like the little girl seen on TV.

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” In the short story written by Joyce Carol Oates “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, the main character is Connie. Connie is a typical fifteen year old, she acts older than she is and has a split personality when it comes to how she acts around certain people. In the story Connie's mother resents her because she was once pretty just like Connie. Her mother seems to be unhappy with the life she's living and doesn't want Connie to be just like she was at that age. Connie notices this when she looks at her mother.

In our lives, there is, whether we realize it or not, over a million different pivotal moments that lead to different things. At a young age, there is the fine line between becoming an introvert or an extrovert- living our lives in extravagance or happily alone. For Esther Greenwood, her pivotal moment led her to the act of conforming for society, hiding behind the title of magazine editor while contemplating suicide within. In her novel The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath explores the ideas of conformity and insanity all within two hundred forty four pages through her main characters, Esther Greenwood and Buddy Willard. Furthermore, her whole novel is a good reflection of Kate Chopin’s quote “That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that

It moves the reader’s inner conscience as the novel revolves through wars, struggle between the family members and starvation. The story starts with Mariam Jo’s introduction as a five year old girl, who eagerly waits for her father, Jalil Khan, who visits her only on every Thursday. Her only companion was her mother Nana, who was molested in the hands of Jalil Khan and decided to lead a secluded life away from the prying eyes. Nana hates her distressful life and shows her agony by calling Mariam as harami, though the girl doesn’t understand the meaning of it. Even though she wasn’t the legitimate heir as her nine siblings, Jalil was a true hero in her eyes as she was always happy with him.

In Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Connie, a teenage girl who acts older than she actually is, argues with her family about how she dresses and acts. While sneaking out with friends one night, Connie encounters an older man named Arnold Friend who is convinced that he is her lover. One day while her family is not home, Connie is confronted by Arnold, asking and threatening her to come with him. The story ends with her going away with this strange man who showed up at her door, leaving the reader to ponder what will become of Connie. The short story shows how choosing to be a rebellious teenager who wants to grow up too quickly can leave one in a possibly deadly situation.

The book Where It Began written by Ann Redisch Sampler, starts to create a vivid image in your mind that portrays a 17 year old, Gabby Gardiner retaining a complete make over (physically and mentally) before attending her junior year at Winston. Gabby then gets the bad-boy boyfriend, Billy Nash who gets her into all kinds of trouble that she doesn’t remember. Gabby and Billy later go to an party where she drinks and is later found unconscious with the keys to Billy Nash’s blue Beemer. Gabby is latter emitted to the hospital in means to figure out what happened to her. As the novel progresses, you see all the people around her acting unsophisticated to different aspects of the book.

Courtney Hoffhine April 26, 2016 07.08 Revising Arguments Ms. Howard English III Honors Does our state do enough to prevent distracted driving? “In a split second you could ruin your future, injure or kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone who loves you,” said Sharon Heit, mother of texting and driving victim. Being a teenager myself I witness texting while driving every day. In my school’s parking lot, on the highway, and just while being in my friends cars. I am a victim to texting while driving but nothing is being done to prevent it in teenagers and young adults.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been is a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates about a young girl, named Connie, snatched away in the night by an illusive man. The first first impression we get was that of a regular teenage boy with an abundance of confidence and charm. Later on in the text Arnold's character develops further, when he swiftly beings to playing games with Connie's fragile mind by twisting his words, putting his words in her mouth, constantly influencing her to come out through gentle threats. Arnold Fiend speaks frequently but reveals virtually nothing about himself, a common trait for emotionally manipulative people. But what he does reveal is nothing but a facade.