Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Literary Analysis Essay

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Pages: 4

The stage in one’s life when he or she transitions from teenage years to adulthood determines the individual’s identity in almost entirety. These are vulnerable years where the child can either, attach to an advanced mentality and build a life of prosperity, or, do the opposite and live a life where the child is continuingly trying to fix his or her life because of succumbing to distractions in those few years. Joyce Carol Oates, in the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, illustrates the horrors and temptations that teenagers face in their growth to adulthood, with her use of the literary elements of characterization and symbolism. Oates develops her two main characters, Connie and Arnold Friend, so that the readers can connect their descriptions to the real world. Connie is a vain and relatable fifteen year old. In her world, being pretty is everything. The reader learns this quickly when the narrator urged, “she knew she was pretty and that was everything” (1). As the modern media illuminates …show more content…
His sexual desires are obvious: “I'll hold you so tight you won't think you have to try to get away…” and “I'll come inside you where it's all secret and you'll give in to me and you'll love me” (6). He comes in disguise, showing how deceptive he can be. Also, he controls Connie to the point where she left the house without fighting. He is a master manipulator and a sexual predator, looking for children while he is far past his twenties. He constantly calls Connie “honey” and states he is her “lover”. The anonymity of the setting allows the story to communicate more universal themes in our country because we don’t single out the occurrence to a specific county, region, or state. We see that children, without proper authority, especially in teenage years, can be taken advantage of, possibly even by one who may commit sexual obscenities or