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Where Is Here Joyce Carol Oates Analysis

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Looking over the different readings for this assignment, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to read. However, when I came across the “Where is Here?” by Joyce Carol Oates, and read a few lines, I thought back about my old homes that I used to live in. Growing up we lived in a few houses, so my story is much different then this old man’s is. But I still thought this was an interesting story.
The story starts in a quiet little neighborhood where this family has lived in this home for several years without incident. Then one night, they are interrupted by a stranger who knocks on the door. Upon the father opening the door, he is greeted by a stranger who seems a little uneasy but asks if he can look around because he grew up there. Father allowed him to and then watched him out the window nervously. Mother was wondering what was going on and why father didn’t just ask him in. After watching him and wondering what he was doing wondering all over the backyard and into the garage the mother hollered out and said he could come inside.
Once inside, the man was weird. …show more content…

How is that? Because, then mother and father start to blame each other for inviting the stranger into their home and allowing him the freedom to explore each room. The even blame themselves and each other, for not asking him to go before he goes upstairs. It was a scary thought for a second when they conversation was “Why?” he asked. “Yes. Why?” the stranger repeated…..”But you love them of course…Of course, of course,” the stranger muttered, tugging his necktie and loosening his collar, “otherwise it would all come to an end”(330). I wasn’t sure where this was going to go after reading it. I was thinking something bad was going to happen or they needed to kick him out

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