A Search For Independence
According to Indian jurist and politician, B. R. Ambedkar, “Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man 's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.” When people are young children they long for nothing more than to be close to their parents, but as they grow older into teens and tweens they strive with all of their being for Independence. Suddenly their parents can do no right, And where there once was adoration and admiration stands a new and powerful disrespect and distaste. This process is clearly seen in Joyce Carol Oates’ character, Connie, in …show more content…
For example, Oates describes how the father of Connie’s best friend would drive the girls to a town three miles away and drop them at a shopping plaza, so that they may shop or see a movie unsupervised until he returned to pick the girls up at eleven, never bothering to ask what they had done that night. Because of the delicious freedom allowed by this parental neglect, Connie went out this way several times per week, and when her mother asked: “‘What’s this about the Pettinger girl?’ . . . Connie would say nervously, ‘Oh, her. That dope.’ She always drew thick clear lines between herself and such girls, and her mother was simple and kindly enough to believe her.” In attempt to assert and protect her free will, Connie lies to her unassuming and trusting mother, and, because Connie values independence over all else, she finds no problem with this deceiving her mother when she is concerned about the influence a rambunctious friend might have on her daughter. As the story progresses, on a lazy Sunday morning Connie once again demonstrates her free will to her parents by refusing to go to a barbecue hosted by her aunt. Oates tells how when asked if she wanted to go, “Connie said no, she wasn’t interested, rolling her eyes to let her mother know just what she thought of it.” One concise definition of independence, as according to the …show more content…
Although Connie’s case is an extreme one, it speaks of an important lesson for young people striving for independence at any cost; don’t rush to grow up because you may find that you aren’t quite as prepared for adult life as you
According to Indian jurist and politician, B. R. Ambedkar, “Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man 's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self.” When people are young children they long for nothing more than to be close to their parents, but as they grow older into teens and tweens they strive with all of their being for Independence. Suddenly their parents can do no right, And where there once was adoration and admiration stands a new and powerful disrespect and distaste. This process is clearly seen in Joyce Carol Oates’ character, Connie, in …show more content…
For example, Oates describes how the father of Connie’s best friend would drive the girls to a town three miles away and drop them at a shopping plaza, so that they may shop or see a movie unsupervised until he returned to pick the girls up at eleven, never bothering to ask what they had done that night. Because of the delicious freedom allowed by this parental neglect, Connie went out this way several times per week, and when her mother asked: “‘What’s this about the Pettinger girl?’ . . . Connie would say nervously, ‘Oh, her. That dope.’ She always drew thick clear lines between herself and such girls, and her mother was simple and kindly enough to believe her.” In attempt to assert and protect her free will, Connie lies to her unassuming and trusting mother, and, because Connie values independence over all else, she finds no problem with this deceiving her mother when she is concerned about the influence a rambunctious friend might have on her daughter. As the story progresses, on a lazy Sunday morning Connie once again demonstrates her free will to her parents by refusing to go to a barbecue hosted by her aunt. Oates tells how when asked if she wanted to go, “Connie said no, she wasn’t interested, rolling her eyes to let her mother know just what she thought of it.” One concise definition of independence, as according to the …show more content…
Although Connie’s case is an extreme one, it speaks of an important lesson for young people striving for independence at any cost; don’t rush to grow up because you may find that you aren’t quite as prepared for adult life as you