Summary Of Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
The 60's are not without reason called “Golden Sixties”. It was not only a time of relative peace and economic growth, but also a phase of rebellion in the youth, which questioned the way of life and beliefs of their parents. It was a time filled with music, miniskirts, sexual freedom and drugs. At that time, Joyce Carol Oates created her works, in which she talked about ordinary everyday affairs, giving them a specific dark climate fueled by the second bottom. A short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" was written in such climate. Oates addressed the problem of growing up in the 1960s. For many people this period seemed to be bliss, but for others it was a period full of doubts and dilemmas. The main character of this story,
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The 60s in which the girl lives are propagating freedom in intimacy. Fashion reveals more and more bodies in girls by exhibiting their charms. Young girls copy the style of fashion of the older girls, which makes it difficult to recognize their true age. Kissing and hugging couples seem to be seen everywhere on the streets. It is a "world" far from what the girl sees on a daily basis at home. Curiosity pushes her towards these novelties and boys, as if she wanted to check whether she is attractive or can please others. Contrary to the mother's opinion, she wants to show to "the whole world" that she is pretty, therefore she refines in detail her image of a mature woman. Her hairstyle, make-up, clothing and behavior effectively attract the attention of the opposite sex. Her behavior is in conflict with the teenager's concerns, but Connie is like two personalities in one person, “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home: her walk, which could be childlike and bobbing, or languid enough to make anyone think she was hearing music in her head; her mouth, which was pale and smirking most of the time, but bright and pink on these evenings out” (Oates 110). Interestingly, most of the time, her two sides seem to function in harmony and Connie smoothly changes from one to the other. However, because she is young, and she is learning a life other than in childhood, sometimes her efforts …show more content…
Although she lives in one house with her parents, she is missing the attention and concern from her parents. The mother is focused only on the older daughter and does not notice the existence of Connie (unless she does something wrong) or her problems and doubts related to the period of puberty. It does not matter to her where and with whom her younger child spends time. As though she does not notice the danger that could wait for a teenager in such a relaxed atmosphere of the 1960s. A woman never offers her help with bringing the daughter and her friends to a shopping plaza. Connie is always dependent on the parents of her friends and satisfied with their kindness. In that case, she still faces a lack of interest in her person and in how she spends her time. Connie also cannot count too much on the care and interest of her father who “was away at work most of the time and when he came home he wanted supper and he read the newspaper at supper and after supper he went to bed” (Oates 109). The father, tired after all-day work only sporadically speaks to daughters and wife without considering it a necessity. Focuses on meeting the material needs of the family without bothering the emotional side of the life of daughters and wife. Connie’s sister is also not a person in whom the girl can look for support, especially since she is older than Connie and probably finds it difficult to find a common subject for
The 60s in which the girl lives are propagating freedom in intimacy. Fashion reveals more and more bodies in girls by exhibiting their charms. Young girls copy the style of fashion of the older girls, which makes it difficult to recognize their true age. Kissing and hugging couples seem to be seen everywhere on the streets. It is a "world" far from what the girl sees on a daily basis at home. Curiosity pushes her towards these novelties and boys, as if she wanted to check whether she is attractive or can please others. Contrary to the mother's opinion, she wants to show to "the whole world" that she is pretty, therefore she refines in detail her image of a mature woman. Her hairstyle, make-up, clothing and behavior effectively attract the attention of the opposite sex. Her behavior is in conflict with the teenager's concerns, but Connie is like two personalities in one person, “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home: her walk, which could be childlike and bobbing, or languid enough to make anyone think she was hearing music in her head; her mouth, which was pale and smirking most of the time, but bright and pink on these evenings out” (Oates 110). Interestingly, most of the time, her two sides seem to function in harmony and Connie smoothly changes from one to the other. However, because she is young, and she is learning a life other than in childhood, sometimes her efforts …show more content…
Although she lives in one house with her parents, she is missing the attention and concern from her parents. The mother is focused only on the older daughter and does not notice the existence of Connie (unless she does something wrong) or her problems and doubts related to the period of puberty. It does not matter to her where and with whom her younger child spends time. As though she does not notice the danger that could wait for a teenager in such a relaxed atmosphere of the 1960s. A woman never offers her help with bringing the daughter and her friends to a shopping plaza. Connie is always dependent on the parents of her friends and satisfied with their kindness. In that case, she still faces a lack of interest in her person and in how she spends her time. Connie also cannot count too much on the care and interest of her father who “was away at work most of the time and when he came home he wanted supper and he read the newspaper at supper and after supper he went to bed” (Oates 109). The father, tired after all-day work only sporadically speaks to daughters and wife without considering it a necessity. Focuses on meeting the material needs of the family without bothering the emotional side of the life of daughters and wife. Connie’s sister is also not a person in whom the girl can look for support, especially since she is older than Connie and probably finds it difficult to find a common subject for