Joyce Carol Oates Smooth Talk

The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates is very much different from the movie Smooth Talk directed by Joyce Chopra in many ways. The story and film were both made to relate to the real life serial killer Charles Howard Schmid Jr. and his crimes committed, while also reflecting a passage from the Old Testament that states “Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?” (Judges, 19:17) The three ways that the story and the film are very different are, how Connie’s vainness is portrayed, the importance of the mother daughter relationship, and finally the conclusion of the storyline.

Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” begins with the introduction of it’s main character, Connie, a fifteen year- old girl. Oates makes Connie’s vanity

From the novel “Where are going, where have you been?” to the big screen Smooth Talk, Joyce Carol Oates and film director Joyce Chopra have brought up some eye opening questions to the audience. The film is about a flirtatious self-absorbed teenage girl who is soon to be a sophomore in high school. Throughout the film she shows an uncontrollable behavior as she flirts with boys and goes window shopping in a mall. In the movie Connie proves that she is different from her mom. Connie’s actions will come back and have her experience a life changing event after her family leaves to a barbeque. This will leave Connie home alone and vulnerable. A stranger,who will be later identified as Arnold Friend, will arrive at Connie’s home and ask to take her out for a ride. Hesitated and scared Connie will eventually change her mind and leave with Arnold. Connie will

The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates and the film Smooth Talk by Chopra and Tom Cole are both very similar in the plot details but also different in the climax of the story. These two stories are based on a teenage girl named Connie, who has an obsession with her appearance. She tries hard to impress everyone she sees and will do anything to achieve that goal. Connie believes she is a lot more grown up than she really is, so she feels she can go out and do adult things. Connie learns the hard way when confronted by Arnold Friend in her driveway and then later taken from her home. The theme of this story is that freedom and confinement can cause a child to want to

Adaptation Between “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and “Smooth Talk” The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates and the film “Smooth Talk” by Joyce Chopra are very similar but a few changes has been made in the film. In the film the director didn’t take out important parts of the story, but did change the ending. As for other movies some director takes out or change part of the book when the movie is made.

Her mother is always giving her negative comments, never anything positive, and always finds something to make her feel bad about. Her sister is nine years older than Connie, twenty four years old, and still lives in the house, yet her mother always compares Connie to her sister, using her to make Connie feel bad about herself. Therefore, because of this abuse that Connie receives from her mother, Connie says that she “wished her mother was dead and she herself were dead and it was all over” (254). In addition to the abuse from her mother, her father is very quiet and is never really present in Connie’s life. This difficult situation at home makes Connie vulnerable because she is always seeking positive feedback from someone to make herself feel better, because she never receives positive feedback at home from her mother, and even when her father goes to pick up Connie from the mall, he doesn’t even bother to ask how it was, or what they had done. This is a big factor as to why Connie is so vulnerable in the story. Oates might use Connie’s situation at home to convey insights about people in the real world who also have difficult situations awaiting them at home. Oates tries to use Connie’s family situation to try and make a connection to others in the real world who might have parents who are divorced or any type of situation at home that is similar to Connie’s that might make life

The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” was written in 1966 by Joyce Carol Oates’s. It was later remade into a movie called “Smooth Talk” in 1985. This movie and this book is about a daughter that doesn't fit in with her family. She gravitates towards the teenage culture and society while her parents tries to pull her away.

The abduction of Persephone through Hades mirrors that of Arnold Friend. Joyce Carol Oates, Author of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a short story with themes that consist of search for self as well as identity. Through the use of imagery, dialogue, and characterization Oates displays similarities between the Greek myth, “Persephone and Demeter” to “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”.

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is based on a real-life event of Charles Schmid Jr. and the murder of multiple girls. The short story is designed around this historical event and has several key points that are comparable to both the story and the event. This story starts with a girl Connie who, like any typical teenager, is very flirtatious with a lot of guys; one person, in particular, Arnold Friend, is portrayed as a cougar. He shows up to Connie’s place, takes her somewhere and what's left is an inferred cliffhanger. The short story gives a more effective ending as it leaves the reader in a state of deep and complex thought in relations to the sudden and abrupt ending. Threats such as burning Connie’s house down, stopping her heart, and “going for a ride” are red flags that hint at Connie’s near future.

Joyce Carol Oates wrote “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” in 1966. This was written to be for all the teenagers that think they know best. Connie is a self- absorbed teenager that is extremely aware of her beauty, and uses this to her advantage with different characters throughout the story. Her conflict with her mother and sister because of the self-assurance and arrogance leads to her demise. She gets herself into trouble by disobeying her parents and going out to places she should not be going to. She finds Friend, the antagonist, which lures “little ol” Connie with his good looks and his hot ride. One day he shows up to her house, uninvited, and this sets off the climax and resolution of the

Joyce Carol Oates: Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? explores the vulnerability of teenage girls and the dangers they face from predatory individuals. In the story “Where are you going? Where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, describes the experiences of a teenage girl named Connie, a 15 year old girl, her interactions with boys, and her feelings of excitement and rebellion. The story also introduces a character named Arnold Friend, who approaches Connie in a threatening manner, leading to a sense of fear and unease to her.

Joyce Carol Oates' short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" Connie struggles with the complexities of adolescence and her challenging interactions with the world. Connie's rebellious spirit frequently clashes with her mother's expectations, setting the stage for a fateful encounter with a man named Arnold Friend. Initially appearing charming, Arnold's true intentions gradually reveal themselves to be darker, catching Connie off guard and leading her down a dangerous path. Through a psychoanalytic lens, Oates’ story sheds light on the complexities of individual identity and desires.

Ideas for the story lines of many motion pictures get their inspiration from other works of writing often. Books are usually a main source of inspiration for movies, for instance, the movie Smooth Talk was based off of Joyce Carol Oates’ short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?. Most of the time however, you hear that the movie did not give justice to the book. Smooth Talk is an exception to this common conception. By keeping the main thematic issues of teenage ignorance and arrogance, and same symbiotic relevance throughout the movie gives the movie the same impact as the book, even though it has additional occurrences.

The decisions that you make throughout life can make or break you; you just have to make the right ones. In Joyce Carol Oates story “Where Are Your Going Where Have You Been?”, the main character is Connie. Connie had an older sister but she was nothing like her. Her older sister always pleased her mom, and Connie did not care. Connie and her friend hang out and go to the shopping center or the movies. One day they decided that instead of going to the mall they would go to the diner across the street. She met a boy named Arnold. After that night everything started to spiral down. “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” demonstrates a teenager who decided to cross the road and become a woman.

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, is one of the many short stories written by Mrs. Joyce Carol Oates that has become highly recognized. It was inspired by a magazine story about a serial killer. It quickly it became very popular andwas even the basis for the 1985 hit movie, “SmoothTalk”. Like many other short stories and novels written by Joyce Carol Oates, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” is a story that is consumed by evil, the theme. In the story evil is projected through the eyes of the characters.(Weinberger 207) Joyce Carol Oates has been labeled by many as a, “writer of psychological realism”(Wegs 69), which is seen in this story. Tied