Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Identity Analysis

Maddie Kramber
8 April 2016
Dual Credit English
Per. 3B
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”: The Search For Self Still to this day in our lives, we struggle to figure out who we are, and what we are put here on Earth to do. In our society today, we have trouble with searching with who we are. In the short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?,” by Joyce Carol Oates, the author’s background as well as her usage of characterization and internal conflict, develop the theme of identity and the search for self. During the summer, Connie spends most of her time hanging out with her friends or hanging out with boys. One night when Connie and her friends came out of a movie, she was greeted by a strange man who made a threatening
Connie who is a fifteen year old girl, is more vulnerable to Arnold Friend’s manipulations because she still has yet to figure out who she really is (Wilson 261). Connie seems to always get compared to her sister June, “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister? How've you got your hair fixed—what the hell stinks? Hair spray? You don't see your sister using that junk" (Oates 205). Connie’s older sister, June, who is twenty-four years old, still lives with her parents as for she works at Connie’s school as a secretary. Connie’s mother is so infatuated by all of June’s accomplishments and wishes that Connie could accomplish everything June is. This made Connie wonder what she could do to be as good as June. Connie often stated that she “wished her mother was dead” (206). With all of the comparing Connie’s mother did, affected Connie majorily. Connie often didn’t really understand who she was because her mother always told her that “she was not good enough” or that “she was not
Many articles state that she was the perfect target for Arnold Friend and all of his mischievous plans. Connie’s personality traits made her “vulnerable to Arnold Friend” (Wilson 259). Connie often showed her interest in boys throughout the story, which also made Arnold Friend even more attracted to her (259). Connie’s personality is pretty common for her teenage self. She comes across as rebellious, vain, self-centered, and deceitful. With experience with this behavior, I feel that this is a big reason to why Connie has some trouble with figuring out who she really is. Many of the times, Connie is too worried about what her mother and family thinks of her to really discover herself. After Connie’s encounter with Arnold Friend outside of the movie theater, she did not think too much of it. Later on though, when Arnold Friend shows back up, she realizes that her encounter was not just a coincidence. He was not just a nice guy complimenting her, she realized that “she has attracted a menacing force”