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? Hair spray? You don"t see your sister using that junk" (Oates, 614) Connie"s sister was not as beautiful as she was, in fact June was not pretty at all, she was over-weight and extremely plain. It is obvious why Connie"s mother preferred June to Connie, with June there was no jealousy. "June did this, June did that, she saved money and helped clean the house and c!.

             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.