Analysis Of Connie In Joyce Carol Oates Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been

1 out of 6 of American women has been a victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime and 27% of children at the age of 12 to 17 have been a victim of sexual assault and rape (Rainn.org). Connie in Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” is a 15 year old teenager in rebellious phase who likes to hangout. On the other hand, the unidentified Grandmother in Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is an old fashion southern conservative who judges a person based on her prejudiced or preconceived opinion. In the surface, Connie and the Grandmother suggest they live in a completely different world, but an in-depth analysis of Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” and O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to …show more content…
She assumes and treats her mother a simpleminded person that can easily be exploited. Connie believes her mother trust everything she does or tells. For instance, when Connie’s family goes to her aunt’s house, Connie’s actions, “Her parents and sister were going to a barbecue at an aunt's house and Connie said no, she wasn't interested, rolling her eyes to let her mother know just what she thought of it. "Stay home alone then," her mother said sharply.” (Oates). In this statement, Connie implies that she does not want to listen or to pay attention to her mother criticizing her decision as Connie rolls her eyes. Similar to Connie, the Grandmother manipulates her family for her own selfishness. She always wants to get her own way that her only son, Bailey typically ignores her demands. For example, when the Grandmother wants to travel to East Tennessee rather than Florida for their family vacation, she uses the pretext that the Misfit is on the run, and he is currently on the road towards Florida when the Grandmother’s real motive is to visit her friends or relatives. As the Grandmother’s first manipulative attempt fails, she makes a second attempts to use Bailey’s spouse when the Grandmother tells her, “’The children have been to Florida before," "You all ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad. They never have been to East Tennessee.’" (O’Connor). However, the Grandmother’s attempt fails again when Bailey’s spouse does not hear the Grandmother. The Grandmother’s manipulative approach is indirect or subtle that she uses scare tactics to his son, and she uses the mother to be open-minded for her