In Joyce Carol Oates’ “‘Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?’ and Smooth Talk: Short Story into Film‚” Oates writes that Connie “An innocent young girl is seduced by way of her own vanity” and that “she confuses death for erotic romance” (419). Oates clearly defines her point when Connie first discovers Arnold Friend at the drive in diner. She catches Friend staring at her with a big smile and Connie “slit her eyes at him and turned away‚ but she couldn’t help looking back” (409). The fact
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Innocence “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” presents many themes and symbols to the reader. One that jumped out at me while reading the story was the overall feeling of innocence. Joyce Carol Oates shows us innocence from the very beginning of the story to the end where Connie loses self-control and power. From the first paragraph of the story we learn that Connie is a young fifteen year old who longs for attention and acceptance. I was able to relate to the story better when I paused
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social attitudes‚ behaviors‚ and institutional regulations at the beginning of the 60’s and also lasted through the 70’s. The sexual drive increased majorly and the amount of women that had sex before marriage also sky rocketed. In Where Are you Going‚ Where Have You Been‚ Connie wants sexual attention from men‚ and that hurts her self-confidence and puts a real strain on her self-esteem. The theme of this story is that younger women going through their sexual maturation have a hard time dealing
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Connie in “Where are you going‚ Where have you been”‚ has a lot of underlying mental issues. Joyce Carol Oates created the perfect character to receive psychoanalytic criticism. The relationships Connie forms with her family‚ friends‚ and outsiders are all affected by Connie’s issues which come to consume her future. One of Connie’s biggest faults was the recognition of her beauty. She “knew she was pretty and that was everything” (Oates 1). This constant checking of herself in mirrors to make
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The character in “where are you going‚ where have you been?” Connie is affected by the role she plays in modern society. Fifteen year old Connie has the confusing‚ often exterior behavior typical of those girls who are facing the difficult transition from girlhood to womanhood in the 1960s. She is caught between her roles as daughter‚ friend‚ sister‚ and object of sexual desire‚ uncertain of which represents her real self. The sixties were the age of youth‚ young people wanted change. The changes
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INTRODUCTION: “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol‚ showcases the inevitable effects of youthful exuberance in a teenage girl. The story is a compelling tale which unveils the vulnerability of Connie‚ a young teenage girl who could barely substantiate fantasy from reality. She prides herself as a pretty girl who understands the basic principles of life. Her encounter with Arnold Friend reveals her as someone who lacks the mental ability to make meaningful decisions and accurate
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“Come Wake Me Up” By: Rascal Flatts Listening to music is something everyone does to express their feelings and emotions. I for instance am not more of venting type of person‚ unlike others. I believe the best advice is given through songs lyrically and through melody. Artists are no different than any ordinary person‚ other than their gifted ability to put words into a combination not everyone can express. Some songs today you’ll find have hardly any lyrics at all. Still people feel the connection
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The dramatic irony of “Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?” conveys the tone of warning about temptation. Connie’s situation is that she does not feel appreciated at home and uses her looks and actions to get attention and appreciation from boys even if it is short-term. She is self-conscious about her looks and is constantly worried about how other people perceive her. Friend’s fantasy is that Connie will willingly go with him and be his “lover” (605) even before he officially met her. The
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Language of Terror When a person is put in an incredibly horrifying situation where the outcome is unpredictable many physical and emotional changes take place. Joyce Carol Oates’s story "Where Are You Going‚ Where Have You Been?" places Connie‚ a typical teenager‚ in this situation. Throughout the story‚ occasionally using religious undertones‚ Connie’s language of a typical teenager gradually changes‚ from calm and somewhat curious to nervous and terrified. Early in the story on a
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Where are you going‚ where have you been? In the short story “Where Are You going? Where Have You Been?”‚ by Joyce Carol Oates. The use of the symbolism of Connie’s clothes‚ her fascination with her beauty‚ Arnold Friend’s car and Arnold Friend himself help to understand the story’s theme of evil and manipulation. The story‚ fill with underlying tones of evil. In this short story‚ Oates write about 15-year-old Connie‚ the protagonist of the story‚ a pretty girl who is a little too into her own
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