Character sketch of Turtle Wexler Turtle Wexler is a thirteen years old girl with a half ponytail. She doesn’t let anyone touches her hair, because it’s very precious to her. Turtle doesn’t really get along with her family, and no one in her family cares about her. She had to sleep in a dark closet, when everyone else has a big and wide bedroom.
“Star Food” Symbolic Analysis “What is my purpose in life? Who should I take advice from and who should I not?” If you have asked yourself these questions, congratulations, you are human! Every human since the dawn of time has reflected on these questions. In the short story “Star Food” by Ethan Canin, the main character, Dade, finds himself asking these questions after a recent shoplifting development in his parent’s grocery store, A middle-aged woman stole small bits of food from the store, like a stale loaf of bread and artificial pineapple juice.
Due to hormones, teenagers are moody and may even lash out at their parents when their parents try to control them. This is the same situation for Connie, even as a girl in the 60s. She wanted to be an
However, this is countered when Connie notes that “he was much older—thirty, maybe more” (315), a fact that frightens her. What Arnold is to Connie is a challenge of her want to be an adult, and a trail of her ability to deal with adult issue. Such as a man who singles her out sexual reason. Her wish to be an adult is something she seeks while passively avoiding it. Her avoidance is marked by day dreams of puppy love romance, like a typical teenager; yet, her attractive flaunt to be mature is presented as if she seeks to be an
Apparent in the beginning stages of the short story, Connie despises her sister, June, for the glory she receives for being the reliable child. She hates her mother for liking her sister more than her,
(par 2), which illustrates how Connie’s parents compare her to her sister, June. Connie’s parents' comparative behavior of June emphasizes their approval of June and attempts to raise Connie as if she was June too. Their parenting doesn't work because Connie has different needs than June. After Connie gets criticized, she says “Her mother had been pretty once too, but now her looks were gone and that was why she was always after Connie” (par 1) which reveals why Connie believes her mom criticizes her. Connie and her parents’ lack of connection emphasizes why Connie speaks of her mom in this way.
She sees the boys who give her attention as subjugations who “dissolve into a single face that was not even a face but an idea” (Oates 675). But soon enough her dreams and music materialize into the shape of Arnold Friend. Arnold Friend is described as a muscular, older, and mysterious character. He seems to be a work of her imagination as he is ultimately an idea she created that would fit into her perfect fantasy world. Connie is defenseless to Arnold Friend’s manipulations mainly because she has no visible identity of her own.
In Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” the main protagonist finds herself in a very hostile situation. With an all most fateful encounter with a man known as Arnold Friend. Forcing her to choose whether to run off with him or taking her by force. This man known as Arnold Friend to the reader comes off as almost a demon. A person who uses many temptations, word play, and threats to take advantage of the young protagonist Connie.
I believe this explains how the author is saying how Jimmy’s mother made him the way he is, and she is refereeing to Jimmy being the let down because of his mothers actions. The last quote says, “Sharon’s maternal practice illustrates the paradigm of what has called ‘feminist mothering’” (Banerjee, Suparna (2013)). It is stating that Jimmy’s mother is not a typical kind of mother and that she is an activist and will change the world, but at the end of the day is still a good mother. Now understanding that the author’s point of view is stating that Jimmy’s mother was not a bad mother, but a mother who was changing the world for all kids is the point of this entire essay.
In the story, Connie enjoys going out with her friends. They were dropped off at a local shopping plaza, but they run across a highway to a drive-in movie where the older kids hang out and meet a guy. They end up talking for hours. Which was one of the best nights of Connie's life. She really enjoyed the time spent.
“But now her looks were gone and that was why she was always after Connie.” (Oates ). Also, there is another opportunity for friendship within the family, between Connie and her sister, however, that is lost in their rivalry and hostility. “Her sister was so plain and chunky and steady that Connie had to hear her praised all the time – by her mother and her mother's sisters.” ( ).
That also made her become more vulnerable to the real dangers and the evilness that exists in the world. That danger was represented by an old man who pretends to be an eighteen year old boy that seduced and kidnaped Connie. The end of the story Joyce Carol Oates leaves it open to the readers, because that way it makes the reader think of what might have happened, whether she got raped or whether she is killed, after the main character leaves with the antagonist of the story. Oates shows that ignorance, narcissism and the lack of
Connie’s mother keeps picking at her for everything. The mother clearly shows that the older sister June is her favorite. June does everything right and gets praised by her mother all the time. Connie hears almost every day that June saved money, helped clean the house, cooked for the family. When the mother speaks on the phone with her friends, she favors everything that June does, and criticizes Connie.
In the coming of age story “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates uses symbolism, conflict, and the third person to foreshadow fifteen-year-old Connie’s unfortunate, yet untimely fate. While one may think that the conflict stems from Connie’s promiscuity, it is clear to see her promiscuity is only a result to a much bigger conflict, her mother’s constant nagging and disapproval, alongside the lack of attention from her father. the author paints a vivid picture of what happens when a fifteen-year-old girl such as Connie goes elsewhere to find to find the love, attention, and approval that she lacks at home. All which is vital for her growth and wellbeing as a person.
Connie uses her attitude and appearance to attract boys. But she is not aware of the reality of the society in which she lives. Connie is living in a fantasy world, but when she gets trapped by Arnold Friend she is put into a scary reality. There
