Where are you going and Where Have you Been?
During the years of adolescence one goes through a time of confusion and curiosity where finding themselves is inevitable. In the tale "Where Are you going, Where Have you Been?", Joyce Carol Oates uses a teenage girl named Connie, to tell a story filled with rebellion and freedom. At this story's conclusion Connie comes to the realization that she was not as independent as she once thought, and that she didn't know as much about life as she perceived. Using a poor relationship between Connie and her mother, a rebellious side of Connie, and a strange boy, Oates tells a lesson that every adolescent should be aware of. Connie and her mother had a very poor relationship that contributed to her constantly wanting to rebel against what her mother truly wanted. "Her mother, who noticed everything and knew everything and who hadn't much reason any longer to look at her own face, scolded Connie about it. Stop gawking at yourself, who are you? You think you're so pretty?" (Oates, 614) By this statement from Connie's mother we can infer that she was very jealous of Connie's appearance and would take this jealousy out on her daughter. "Why don't you keep your room clean like your sister? How've you got your hair fixed-what the hell stinks
ooked and Connie couldn't do a thing, her mind was all filled with trashy daydreams." (Oates, 615) A parent's jealousy for their child can cause the child to feel the need to rebel against them and find what they are not getting from home wherever else they can. In this case Connie was just looking for someone to feel close to and love, since she obviously was not getting any positive attention from home. ed Connie if she would like something to eat. She said she would and so she tapped her friend's arm on her way out-and Connie said she would meet her at eleven, across the way." (Oates, 616) Maybe this older, more experienced, and popular guy really did just want to buy Connie some food, or was that just an expression used by those guys to get these young girls alone with them in their cars? Connie didn't care, being with all of these different guys was a way of getting the affection that every individual needs that was lacking due to her relationship with her mother. "It was summer vacation-getting in her mother's way and thinking, dreaming about the boys she met." (Oates, 616) "Oates points out that Connie spends her summer "thinking, dreaming of the boys she met." But because of Connie's gradually changing desires, "all the boys fell back and dissolved into a single face that was not
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Approximate Word count = 874
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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