There is a fine line between fantasy and reality. Though as fine as a line can be, an individual can be as easily blind with imagination. People do not want pure unadulterated fantasy, but a fantasy that incorporates themselves and what they believe of what they want. However, sometimes what they believe they want is much more complicated and darker. The same concept is exhibit as the main theme in, Joyce Carol Oates 's “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” The main character is a fifteen-year-old girl name, Connie. Who is trying to identify herself as an adult with her newfound sex appeal and attitude? However, she confuses her reality over her daydream of boys. Once she faces the antagonist Arnold Friend and his friend, Connie is jerked back to the dark reality. Oates uses a significant amount of symbols within the short story that defines the line between sweet fantasy and the cold reality.
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With Connie 's personality and the way she carries herself before she meets reality, she 's not the ideal domesticated lady. Connie had a very particular family, her mother was jealous of Connie 's youth, “ Stop gawking at yourself, who are you? You think you 're so pretty?...she would say (Connie 's mother), '” (Oates 323). “ 'Hair spray? You don 't see your sister using that junk, '” (Oates 323). Connie 's sister was a twenty-four year old women named June working in Connie 's high school as the secretary. Unlike Connie, June fit in the domestic cult like a glove, need to say Connie was not too fond of June. June and Connie 's father played a small yet big role in Connie 's life simply because he was never there, never tried to get involved but with absence Connie seeks male attention elsewhere, “away at work”...”didn 't bother talking much to them” (Oates
With Connie 's personality and the way she carries herself before she meets reality, she 's not the ideal domesticated lady. Connie had a very particular family, her mother was jealous of Connie 's youth, “ Stop gawking at yourself, who are you? You think you 're so pretty?...she would say (Connie 's mother), '” (Oates 323). “ 'Hair spray? You don 't see your sister using that junk, '” (Oates 323). Connie 's sister was a twenty-four year old women named June working in Connie 's high school as the secretary. Unlike Connie, June fit in the domestic cult like a glove, need to say Connie was not too fond of June. June and Connie 's father played a small yet big role in Connie 's life simply because he was never there, never tried to get involved but with absence Connie seeks male attention elsewhere, “away at work”...”didn 't bother talking much to them” (Oates