Summary Of 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?'

“We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality” (Murdock). However, fantasies can interfere with an individual’s belief system and can cause a confusion. In the narrative by Joyce Carol Oates short story “Where Are You Going, Where have you been?” The story takes place around the 1960’s. In fact, this was the same time a real-life American serial killer named Charles Schmin started to target females. The narrator admits that her story was influenced by the famous serial killer. What I interpreted throughout the passage is that Connie who is the main character is facing a conflict between fantasy and reality. When Connie leaves home, another side of her is shown to society. She knows she can attract older boys. The way she’s able to do so is because of her appearance and personality. Connie ends up staying stuck with Arnold Friend, who puts her into a horrifying situation. As you read the selection you can’t deny that the author uses symbolism as the main theme. The reason why Oats decided to use symbolism, allegory, and metaphors to demonstrate through Connie’s Sexuality, where she beings to lose touch with her senses.

The 1950’s brought about the beginning of teen culture. The phrase, “teenager”, had only recently been invented but the word was already developing more weight and meaning. To be a teen encompassed the soul of rebellion. The formative years were a warp in the usual fast pace of life, a pause between childhood and adulthood. That pause was uncomfortable and foreign. It gave kids a chance to think and feel before being thrust into The Real World. That small break was enough for the seed of self-expression to slip through, and music is the ultimate form of self-expression. The birth of rock and roll, the constant threat of the cold war, the inescapable prison of segregation, and the chance to stop

In Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" it portrays the confusing nature of sexuality. A story set in the America of mid-1900s. A conflict of morals characterized this time, especially sexually related ones. There was a hot debate on the topic of sexuality among adolescents. The roles of women were being challenged and quickly changing. This story describes a psychosexual episode between a male predator and the protagonist, a female

Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a short story that revolves around the themes of adolescence, identity, freedom, and pressure from society's standards. The story’s protagonist, Connie, is portrayed as a teenage girl on a journey of self-discovery, whose struggles with society’s expectations and rebellion are represented through music. Throughout the story, music plays a significant role in Connie’s life and helps her cope with the challenges she faces. Oates uses music to highlight the tensions between freedom and constraints that characterize Connie’s experience, making the story an interesting read. The symbolism of music in Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”

In the story, “Where are you Going, Where Have you Been?” the author, Joyce Carol Oates, uses literary devices to convey a message about the loss of innocence. To be more specific, Oates’s characterization of the protagonist, Connie, specifically shows the actions leading to her innocence being taken from her. The literary device of characterization gives a clear picture Oates thoughts at the time she wrote the story, expressing concern for young girls who are at risk of having their innocence taken from them.

In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, the author uses symbolism through Connie to explain Connie’s interests with all the material things that she likes. Connie is a young girl who is struggling to escape reality while defying her parents and portraying herself as an “adult” which she is not. Connie feels as though she is above everyone because she got the beauty in her family as oppose to her older sister. Connie just wants listen to music all day and live with her perfect dream guy. She messes around with older guys, but never actually has any real attachment to them.

“where are you going, where have you been” by Joyce Carol Oates is a short story about a teenage girl named Connie. She lives a fairly normal life but then one evening she gets caught up with suspicious man who doesn’t want to leave her alone. The man who goes by the name “Arnold Friend” drives into Connie’s driveway, and after some very brief small talk he tries to coerce her into going on a date with him. the mood swiftly goes from uncomfortable to sinister.

In Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” the author sets the feeling of danger and uncertainty stemming from events occurring throughout the story with the utilization of themes from Thomas C. Foster’s “ How to Read Literature Like a Professor” specifically with references to seasons, the bible, and significant symbolisms.

Once someone crosses the redline, there is no way to go back. Peoples actions are not reversible, what is done cannot be undone. In both the short story by Joyce Carol Oates “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and the movie “Smooth Talk” directed by Joyce Chopra, the screen door is portrayed as a transition and a boundary although sometimes it is interpreted in different ways. If Connie crosses the boundary, it will lead to many bad consequences. When Arnold Friend reaches Connie’s porch, the conflict is between the protagonist Connie and the antagonist Arnold Friend who is trying to lure her out of the house to go for a ride with him. Arnold is taking advantage of her youth and vulnerability. The screen

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” written by Joyce Carol Oates, portrays the fast-cultural transition that heavily impacted teenager’s behavior in the 1960’s. The new style of music is an example of how the rapidly cultural transition highly influenced adolescent’s behavior from that generation, initiating a revolutionary era. It was a time when culture was rapidly changing. A sexual revolution was taking place, leading people, especially teenagers, to question the traditional and religious beliefs of previous generations. In addition, it was a phase which peace and love was emphasized by the ongoing Vietnam war, driving people to promote peace and love amongst themselves for the whole decade, especially through rock and roll music.

Immaturity is a term most commonly associated with adolescence. As a young adolescent, high school is the center of the world and it is difficult to see beyond that. Social status is vital to Connie, the lead character in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?,” written by Joyce Carol Oats. School is her chance to be who she does not get to be at home. Like Connie, many other adolescents try to act older than they really are. Teenagers are especially prone to this because their brains are not fully developed. As a fifteen year old, Connie is somewhere in between childhood and adulthood. This causes her to struggle with the concept of maturity. Due to her immaturity, Connie confuses her ability to command attention from boys with the desire to have them pursue her sexually. Unable to tell these two apart, Connie is rendered helpless at the hands of the potentially dangerous Arnold Friend.

Life is filled with tragedies, whether they be subtle or monumental. In society we are constantly surrounded by hardships and situations that test our own individual character, forcing us to react in order to move forward. The main characters in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates each react differently to the various tragedies they encounter, revealing their true identities that lie behind the (facade?)/version of themselves they present to the world. These tragedies that factor into all three works are both presented and interpreted differently in each story: In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Mallard rejoices

Music used to be about connections between listeners and the song lyrics. Now it is not much about the connection, but rather people just trying to keep up with the in-crowd. This often leads people into listening to music they dislike only to gain popularity or to feel like they fit in. In Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?,” the role of music is considerably more than first appeared within the story. It is much more than just background noise and should not be overlooked. Music influences people’s characters from the way they act, to what they think, and even what they want. It is not as innocent as first thought.

Life is a path of accomplishments and achievements as well as distress and confrontations. It has its own ups and downs. But every human being lives it and has to live it as there is no other option. What we learn as we age making right choices and using the support that we have around, like our parents, grandparents, and friends makes us who we are. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, Connie is a typical human being who has to deal with all the situations that come in her life. Situations like dealing with people whom she has never met and if gone out of hands, controlling the situation using intelligent methods. Even though Connie a normal teenager, who loved her friends, went to school, and enjoyed

The teenage rebellion, which most of people experience during the puberty, always worsens the relationship between parents and children. Written by Joyce Carol Oates, the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” describes the condition and consequence of a family whose child is rebellious. Through the characterization, plot, and dialogue, Oates successfully exhibits the thesis that Connie’s bad ending is the consequence of her parents’ attitude and actions.