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Character Analysis: 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?'

686 Words3 Pages

Karlea Belsey
Mrs. Ham
English 1302
23 February 2016 “Two Kinds” of Girls “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, written by Joyce Carol Oates in 1970, the main character, Connie, is put in the shadows of her older sister, and she feels as though her mother does not care for her as much as her sister. Connie acts and dresses different when she was away from her family; she tried to fit in with her friends whenever they went to the shopping mall, movies, or to the restaurant across from the mall. On the other hand, in “Two Kinds”, written by Amy Tan in 1989, the main character, Jing Mei, was a Chinese-American whose mother wanted her to be a prodigy in something, and believed that she could be anything that she wanted to be since she was in America. Both of these characters, Connie and Jing Mei, had someone pushing them to do something, but in the end, Connie agreed to her persuasion, while Jing Mei refused.
In Joyce Carol Oates’s story, Connie decided to leave her friend for a little while, and when this happened, she caught the attention of a shaggy black-haired boy. She barely …show more content…

She tried everything from a Chinese Shirley Temple to a piano prodigy. When she was becoming a “piano prodigy”, Jing Mei began taking lessons, she was taking lessons from Mr. Chong, who was a deaf man, so when Jing Mei went to her piano lessons, she played wrong notes and Mr. Chong did not notice. Months went by and her mother decided she should play in a talent show, and when the time came, Jing Mei ended up playing wrong notes during the talent show. Her mother was very disappointed, but a couple of days later, her mother came in and told her it was time for practice. Jing Mei refused and her mother ended up dragging her to the piano and Jing Mei began yelling at her. When this happened, her mother just walked away and never asked her to practice

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In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” there are many theories as to who Arnold Friend is and what his role. The story does not introduce Arnold till the middle and end of the story when Arnold Friend and Ellie Oscar, his friend, decides to pull up to Connie’s house trying to be gentle, but threatening at the same time. The tone sets the mood of the story, the way he talks is suave, so he doesn’t scare her as much but you could sense a little of annoyance in his voice when she refuses. He asks her to come ride with him, but then starts to threaten her family so she would get out the house and be with him.

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She had to suffer through her mother’s tests and expectations. When Jing-mei is older, she becomes happier and she realizes that something sad can always turn happy, just like her life. In conclusion, Jing-mei discovers her identity by playing a very special song on the piano.

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Where Are You Going Where Have You Been? By Joyce Carol Oates Psychoanalytic Criticism Question How are id, ego and superego represented in “Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?” By Joyce Carol Oates?

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Oates’s biography explained her fiction writing as a mixture violence and sexual obsession. The writing style definitely fits the plot point of this story with both of her literary ingredients being present in not only Arnold Friend but in Connie as well. The Protagonist Connie is presented in a very self-centered way. She is obsessed with her looks and often fantasizes about all the boys she meets.

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In Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Connie is a fifteen-year-old girl, who does not necessarily get along with her family. During the week, she often times goes to a shopping plaza with some of her friends. However, they sneak across the highway to go to a popular diner where the older crowd hangs out at. At home, Connie is often times arguing with her family. One day her family is invited to her aunt's barbecue but Connie refuses to go.

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“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.” ( ).

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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

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Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” is a perfect example of a parent wanting more for their children then what the parent growing up. The setting of this story takes place in America, and is told through first person by a young Chinese girl. Tran begins the story with a small introduction into the mother’s pervious life in China and her view on how to make life better in America. Tran’s use of character and conflict between characters grabs the attention of the reader because it is easy to relate to, when parents try to live vicariously through their children.

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Since Jing-Mei was raised in a different culture than her mom, it made her more lazy and less confident. After her mom tries to get her to do stuff she isn't interested in, she snaps and says, “Why don't you like me the way I am? I’m not a genius! And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars”(Tan 146)? She knows that her mom is going to show off her piano skills, so she doesn't try to learn to prove to her mom that she can't force her to do stuff.

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Connie’s first encounter with Friend was at a diner when he stated to Connie, “Gonna get you, baby”(pg.1142). Because Connie was use to this type of attention, she did not view it as strange that an older man was calling her in such away. However, if Connie had seen Friend as dangerous instead of just another man, her kidnapping might have been prevented. Later in the story when Friend showed up as Connie’s house, she walked outside and talked to him instead of questioning how he knew where she lived or calling the police. Oates described Connie's interaction with Friend by stating,“Connie liked the way he was dressed, which was the way all of them dressed: tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pullover shirt that was a little soiled and showed the hard muscles of his arms and shoulders”(pg.1145).

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In her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Joyce Carol Oates utilizes a variety of literary devices to strengthen the story in its entirety. This short story is essentially about a 16-year-old girl named Connie and the conflict between her desire to be mature and her desire to remain an adolescent. Throughout the story, the audience sees this conflict through her words in addition to through her behavior. The audience is also introduced to Arnold Friend, a rather peculiar man, who essentially kidnaps her. This short story by Joyce Carol Oates functions and is additionally meaningful because of her usage of literary devices.

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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.

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In John Updike’s “A&P” and Joyce Oates’s “Where are you going, where have you been” there are multiple intriguing similarities and differences between both protagonists. Both stories involve an adolescent 's main character who goes through a type of struggle, however, the severity of their struggles differ greatly. “A&P” includes a young man named Sammy who loses his job grows an attachment to a small group of girls that are regular customers at the shop he works at. The situation in “Where are you going, where have you been?” is much more grim for the protagonist, a young teenage girl, Connie. She is put into a set of circumstances that put her life in danger.

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Jing Mei, while portrayed as an obedient child, is only willing to listen to her mother to a certain extent. Throughout the story, it is consistently hinted that Jing Mei would eventually explode against her mother as an attempt to free herself from her mother’s chains. In addition, after the fiasco at the piano recital, she eventually derives further from her mother’s wishes as she “didn 't get straight A...didn 't become class president...didn 't get into Stanford...dropped out of college.” (54). On the flip side, Jing Mei’s mother is a stereotypical Chinese parent who is fully determined to ensure her daughter’s success in a new environment.

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The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted in a multitude of ways due to its ambiguity. A psychological lens, however, provides the most accurate viewpoint for analyzing the story as it clarifies certain obscure scenes and actions of Connie. One psychological issue of Connie that is easily inferred from the beginning of the story is her insecurity about her looks. Connie constantly worries about the way that she looks and takes any opportunity to do so, “craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people's faces to make sure her own was all right” (1).

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