Ashton Shellnutt
Professor Spillman
English 112-07
07 September 2017
846
Summary and Response
In “Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oats, the author starts off by introducing the reader to Connie and her family. Connie’s family dynamic is not perfect. It is not your typical suburban family stereotype where everyone is involved and appreciates one another. Connie and her mother do not get along at all. She always compares Connie to her older sister June. "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.” (Oats, page number). Her dad is never pays any attention to the family. He comes home from work and goes …show more content…
As the reader reads we are only able to see from Connie’s point of view. As the story develops we see how Connie emotions and thoughts change. Arnold Friend stays the same throughout the story. He was always considered to be a predator. In the beginning, of the story Connie behaves one way around her family and a completely different way when she is around her friends. When she is home she tries to hide her promiscuousness “Her mother was so simple, Connie thought, that it was maybe cruel to fool her so much” (Oats some page). Throughout “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Connie is portrayed as having sex appeal and is willing to put out any persona to attract men. Arnold Friend was one of the many men that caught on to her …show more content…
At the end of the story Connie’s trance like state is a normal reaction for someone who is about to be assaulted or even murdered. When Arnold Friend pulls up to her driveway at the beginning of the story Connie is more concerned with her appearance than being worried that some strange man is in her driveway. “It was a car she didn’t know… Her heart began to pound and her fingers snatched at her hair, checking it, and whispered “Christ. Christ.” Wondering how bad she looked” (Oats some page). Connie can be described as selfish, conceited, fake, and shallow. As stated in the text “She wore a pullover jersey blouse that looked one way when she was at home and another when she was away from home. Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home.” (Oates, page number). Connie takes great pleasure in the fact that men find her attractive. But by the end of the story Connie is a completely different character. She is a young girl fighting to stay alive and protect her family. “She felt her pounding heart. Her hand seemed to enclose it. She thought for the first time in her life that it was nothing that was hers, that belonged to her, but just a pounding living thing inside this body that wasn’t really hers either” (Oats some page). Arnold Friend was considered an evil predator all throughout the story but
Professor Spillman
English 112-07
07 September 2017
846
Summary and Response
In “Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oats, the author starts off by introducing the reader to Connie and her family. Connie’s family dynamic is not perfect. It is not your typical suburban family stereotype where everyone is involved and appreciates one another. Connie and her mother do not get along at all. She always compares Connie to her older sister June. "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.” (Oats, page number). Her dad is never pays any attention to the family. He comes home from work and goes …show more content…
As the reader reads we are only able to see from Connie’s point of view. As the story develops we see how Connie emotions and thoughts change. Arnold Friend stays the same throughout the story. He was always considered to be a predator. In the beginning, of the story Connie behaves one way around her family and a completely different way when she is around her friends. When she is home she tries to hide her promiscuousness “Her mother was so simple, Connie thought, that it was maybe cruel to fool her so much” (Oats some page). Throughout “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Connie is portrayed as having sex appeal and is willing to put out any persona to attract men. Arnold Friend was one of the many men that caught on to her …show more content…
At the end of the story Connie’s trance like state is a normal reaction for someone who is about to be assaulted or even murdered. When Arnold Friend pulls up to her driveway at the beginning of the story Connie is more concerned with her appearance than being worried that some strange man is in her driveway. “It was a car she didn’t know… Her heart began to pound and her fingers snatched at her hair, checking it, and whispered “Christ. Christ.” Wondering how bad she looked” (Oats some page). Connie can be described as selfish, conceited, fake, and shallow. As stated in the text “She wore a pullover jersey blouse that looked one way when she was at home and another when she was away from home. Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home.” (Oates, page number). Connie takes great pleasure in the fact that men find her attractive. But by the end of the story Connie is a completely different character. She is a young girl fighting to stay alive and protect her family. “She felt her pounding heart. Her hand seemed to enclose it. She thought for the first time in her life that it was nothing that was hers, that belonged to her, but just a pounding living thing inside this body that wasn’t really hers either” (Oats some page). Arnold Friend was considered an evil predator all throughout the story but