Literary Devices In Where Is Here

In the short story “Where is Here” by Joyce Carol Oats, the author chooses to have the visitor move about in a certain order. She starts with the visitor in the garage, then in the back yard. The visitor next sees the kitchen and the dining room. Finally, he visits the window seat and the boys room. Oats puts the story in this order because over the course of the story, the opinion of the visitor changes. It also makes you question why different elements of the story are so important. When the visitor views the garage and the swing set, the mother and father in the house are suspicious of him. “He could be anyone, after all. Any kind of thief, or mentally disturbed person, or even a murderer…” This quote shows that the parents were distrustful of the man. The old swing set makes the man stop and stare. It might show that he wasn't allowed to go outside and play; however, it also might mean that the swing set was his only place to play. The mother then grows sorry for the man and invites him in the house.

He then sees the door to the basement. The parents take note of this and become nervous that he will want to see it but he does not. He then moves on to the dining room. He becomes even more sentimental about this room. The mother and father are starting to grow weary of the visitor. The visitor sits on the window seat nostalgically. By this time, the parents are trying to get rid of the man in their home without being rude. The visitor next heads up the stairs to the young boys room. He then visits the room thoroughly and talks to the boy. The father then tells the man that “ the visit is