where are you going? where have you been?
In the short story, Where Are You Going Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oats, Connie has one foot in the adult world and one foot still in childhood. Connie wants to be treated like an adult and have the privileges of an adult, but she still wants the benefits of being able to be carefree. Connie's home life establishes why she is like this. First, Connie's mother is always on Connie's back nagging; comparing her to her older sister June who is twenty-four and still living at home. Connie's mother seems to always have a snide remark towards Connie, "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" (Lawn 406). Connie seems to be in the shadow of her sister, as if she can never satisfy her mother. Connie is too young and innocent to realize she is putting herself in danger. "Walking around that shopping plaza in their shorts and flat ballerina slippers that always scuffed the sidewalk, with charm bracelets jingling on their thin wrists; they would lean together to whisper and laugh secretly if someone passes by who amused or interested them" (Lawn 407). Never once did she think her childish ways of flirting wer
She has been brain washed by Arnold Friend since the moment he arrived. She was swept away by his good looks, "tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pull over shirt that showed the hard small muscles of his arms and shoulders" (Lawn, 412). She would have never expected a turn for the worse because "he grinned to reassure her and lines appeared at the corners of his mouth" (Lawn, 415). She thought Arnold Friend was a guy that was infatuated with her, simply like the other guys, therefore she trusted him. Later she saw through his disguise and found out he is not the nice guy she thought he was. When Arnold implies "you come out here nice like a lady and give me your hand, and nobody else gets hurt, I mean, your nice old bald- headed daddy and your mummy and your sister in her high heels. Because listen: why bring them in this?"(Lawn 419), it makes the reader realize she is embarrassed and scared of what her parents might think if they found out. Her childlike mind is scared of her parents but her parents are the only ones who can help her right now. Arnold Friend knew that only someone so juvenile would believe him. Hence, wanting to be treated like an adult, Connie loathed for her childhood the moment Arnold Friend and his jalopy pulled up in her driveway. She wanted her childhood back but this time it was to late. The feeling of a male figure liking Connie, gives her security;
Some common words found in the essay are:
Arnold Friend, Hair Spray, Oats Connie, Eddie Connie, arnold friend, , scared parents, adult world, treated adult, connie's mother,
Approximate Word count = 997
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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