Where are you going where have you been short story summary?
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates. Published in 1966, it reflects some concepts Americans were battling or realizing: the decay of the family, a focus on the superficial, women empowerment and independence, and a move away from religion. "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"
What is the message of where are you going where have you been?
Joyce Carol Oates noted that "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is a realistic allegory. 1 An allegory is where the actions and characters have a literal meaning but also represent abstract ideas, virtues, or entities. Arnold Friend is often interpreted as being death or even a symbol of the devil.
Why is where are you going where have you been important?
Arguably one of her most famous pieces, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" remains an important piece of the puzzle that is American literature. The short story, written during the 1960s in the center of social change, represents much of the ideas of 1960s America and can also serve as an allegorical tale about death and evil.
Who is Connie in where are you going where have you been?
The central character in "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is Connie, a young girl on the cusp of womanhood. She spends her time asserting her independence, fighting with her parents, and staring in the mirror admiring herself. The name Connie is a derivative of the name Constance.
Where are you going where have you been?
The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is a third-person account of a narrator who is outside the action (plot) and who might as well be a literary persona of Joyce Carol Oates.
What does Connie's perspective on the events limit the narrator's knowledge to what the girl?
Using Connie’s perspective on the events limits the narrator’s knowledge to what the girl knows and observes. We do not get any insight into the other characters’ thoughts, intentions or past unless they reveal it. For instance, we do not know what the magic numbers on Arnold’s car mean: “"Now, these numbers are a secret code, honey," Arnold Friend explained. He read off the numbers 33, 19, 17 and raised his eyebrows at her to see what she thought of that, but she did...
What does Connie hear when she picks up the phone?
Connie runs into the house and picks up the telephone, but can only hear a roaring sound and is unable to dial a number and call for help. She screams into the phone and, after a while when she can hear again, Friend begins telling her to put the phone back and to come outside.
What happens when Connie opens her eyes?
When she opens her eyes, she is disoriented and goes to listen to the radio in the house. She becomes completely absorbed in the music, and after some time hears a car coming up the drive. Though she stays inside the house, Connie can see there are two boys in the car, which is a gold jalopy convertible.
How old is Connie from The Plaza?
Connie is a fifteen-year-old girl who loves nothing more than spending time with her friends at the plaza and flirting with the boys she meets there. She is frustrated by her family and her life at home, where her mother scolds her for her vanity and continually compares her to her older sister, June. One summer night, she and a friend go to the drive-in restaurant at the plaza, and while Connie reflects on how the music playing in the background “made everything so good.” After a while, Connie leaves the restaurant with a boy named Eddie. On their way to Eddie’s car, Connie notices a boy with shaggy black hair staring at her from his gold car. He tells Connie “Gonna get you, baby,” and draws an X in the air with his finger, but Connie ignores him.
What does the boy in the passenger seat play?
The boy in the passenger seat simply plays music on a transistor radio. Though Connie is reluctant to speak with the driver, once it becomes clear they have the same taste in music, she begins to engage more in conversation. The boy tells Connie his name is Arnold Friend and tries to convince her to come for a ride.
What does the boy tell Connie about Arnold Friend?
The boy tells Connie his name is Arnold Friend and tries to convince her to come for a ride. Eventually, Connie remembers that he is the same boy she recently saw at the restaurant. Friend now begins telling Connie things about her own life, speaking in a lilting voice “as if he were reciting the words to a song.”.
Where are you going where have you been character analysis?
Character Analysis of Masculine Roles in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” The conventional values American citizens associate with their country create a cultural paradox. Every day, millions of Americans endeavor to articulate the essence of the nation by describing the population as “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” An examination of American history quickly exposes the national pledge as an oath of deceit; a climate of segregation, inequity, and corruption exists at
Where are you going where have you been by Joyce Carol Oates?
short story,Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates there is a likely chance that Connie’s encounter was a dream. Through further analysis it is revealed that Joyce Carol Oates’ short story is merely a dream in which Connie’s odd wish is fulfilled, all of which is achieved through setting, characterization, and plot. In the short story, based on the setting, Connie is conflicted on her wish and how it is going into place. As if Connie just woke up not knowing where she was, “The
What year does the story of Connie take place?
The story takes place in the 1960’s when almost everything reached a turning point at that time. It talks about a teenager who wanted boys’ attention, but she ended up leaving her family house with a stranger. Connie represented most teenage girls, and their destiny at that time.
