Joyce Carol Oates's 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?'
Professor Chris La Casse
English 2407
November 25, 2013
The Psychopath and His Victim: A Coming of Age Story Reports of serial rapists and murderers are all too common in today’s day and age. In these cases, generally the main focus and intrigue lies with the killer rather than the victim. Once the focus is switched to the victim, we might see all sorts of different scenarios play out. Although Joyce Carol Oates’s, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” was inspired by real life events and reports of a serial rapist murderer, it can also be read as a coming of age story in which we see the victim, Connie, mature and evolve tremendously from the beginning to the end of the story because of the situation she unfortunately finds …show more content…
Although she had been laying out in the sun and has no idea who has just showed up at her house she still runs inside fussing over her appearance to make sure that she looks decent, even for this unannounced stranger in her driveway. From the moment they start talking, she is careful to monitor what she says and the tone of voice that she uses to ensure that she appears nonchalant and uninterested in this boy. She is so busy monitoring her own appearance that she doesn’t even realize all of the things wrong with …show more content…
The fact that the ending isn’t definite makes the array of possibilities even more extensive. The fact that Oates wrote the story in such a realistic tone allows the readers to relate on a very personal and emotional level. Reports of serial killers or rapists on the news are something that we have all heard and seen in our lifetime. A fear of these criminals on some level is pretty much universal. That’s why the story resonates with so many and has elicited so many different interpretations. No matter how one reads this story or what symbols they see in it, there is definitely a constant. That constant is the obvious growth within the protagonist, Connie. And the fact that said growth would not have occurred should she not have found herself in this terrible situation. In dying, she was able to shed her old self and forget her old life. In her willingness to die she matured in a monumental way. She finally exhibited a caring for others, an urge to help, compassion, and humility. In the face of death, she finally gained the values that are so important for us to have in
English 2407
November 25, 2013
The Psychopath and His Victim: A Coming of Age Story Reports of serial rapists and murderers are all too common in today’s day and age. In these cases, generally the main focus and intrigue lies with the killer rather than the victim. Once the focus is switched to the victim, we might see all sorts of different scenarios play out. Although Joyce Carol Oates’s, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” was inspired by real life events and reports of a serial rapist murderer, it can also be read as a coming of age story in which we see the victim, Connie, mature and evolve tremendously from the beginning to the end of the story because of the situation she unfortunately finds …show more content…
Although she had been laying out in the sun and has no idea who has just showed up at her house she still runs inside fussing over her appearance to make sure that she looks decent, even for this unannounced stranger in her driveway. From the moment they start talking, she is careful to monitor what she says and the tone of voice that she uses to ensure that she appears nonchalant and uninterested in this boy. She is so busy monitoring her own appearance that she doesn’t even realize all of the things wrong with …show more content…
The fact that the ending isn’t definite makes the array of possibilities even more extensive. The fact that Oates wrote the story in such a realistic tone allows the readers to relate on a very personal and emotional level. Reports of serial killers or rapists on the news are something that we have all heard and seen in our lifetime. A fear of these criminals on some level is pretty much universal. That’s why the story resonates with so many and has elicited so many different interpretations. No matter how one reads this story or what symbols they see in it, there is definitely a constant. That constant is the obvious growth within the protagonist, Connie. And the fact that said growth would not have occurred should she not have found herself in this terrible situation. In dying, she was able to shed her old self and forget her old life. In her willingness to die she matured in a monumental way. She finally exhibited a caring for others, an urge to help, compassion, and humility. In the face of death, she finally gained the values that are so important for us to have in