Characterization and Decision Making in "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" "Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home . . ." (Oates 493). In the story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" by Joyce Carol Oates, the protagonist Connie struggles on deciding who she is or what she should act like. Connie is constantly torn between two different worlds, never understanding where she fits in with her family or friends. She is at a point in her life where anticipatory socialization takes effect and she wants to move on to the next stage of life. However, her decisions force her to wake up and realize that she is not ready to be on her own or take responsibility of her actions; she
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Arnold Friend brings a drastic change into her life that sheds Connie's adolescence and shakes her awake. Even though she may have had slight sexual experience, he demands something completely different of her: that she be his "lover" so that he can "come inside of [her] where it's all secret . . . " (501, 502). This is the opposite of what she wants, but at this point there is no escape. Her downfall is caused by her naive outlook on life that prevents her from seeing through his facade. "His whole face was a mask . . . as if he had plastered makeup . . ." which makes it difficult for her to see what he is really like (502). Not only that, but Connie is quick to trust Arnold. She has to face the consequences and decide how to handle his demands. In the end, Connie goes with him to not just save her family, but because behind him she saw ". . . the vast sunlit reaches of the land behind him and on all sides of him, so much land that Connie had never seen before and did not recognize except to know she was going to it" (506). He takes away everything that is familiar to her and pushes her into the unknown. She does not know what will become of her but that she will experience new things that will take her off of the track she once rode. Connie accepts her fate and the repercussions that will soon
Arnold Friend brings a drastic change into her life that sheds Connie's adolescence and shakes her awake. Even though she may have had slight sexual experience, he demands something completely different of her: that she be his "lover" so that he can "come inside of [her] where it's all secret . . . " (501, 502). This is the opposite of what she wants, but at this point there is no escape. Her downfall is caused by her naive outlook on life that prevents her from seeing through his facade. "His whole face was a mask . . . as if he had plastered makeup . . ." which makes it difficult for her to see what he is really like (502). Not only that, but Connie is quick to trust Arnold. She has to face the consequences and decide how to handle his demands. In the end, Connie goes with him to not just save her family, but because behind him she saw ". . . the vast sunlit reaches of the land behind him and on all sides of him, so much land that Connie had never seen before and did not recognize except to know she was going to it" (506). He takes away everything that is familiar to her and pushes her into the unknown. She does not know what will become of her but that she will experience new things that will take her off of the track she once rode. Connie accepts her fate and the repercussions that will soon