Where Are You Going Where Have You Been ?

WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
In this story, Joyce Carol Oates, speaks about a fifteen year old girl named Connie and also about her life which was totally unknown to her family throughout the story. Connie is shown to be the type of girl who is very beauty-conscious, and according to her mom, “thinks too much of herself”. She had a very bad relationship with her mother, which might have been the reason why, Connie believed that “she was always after Connie” (Oates, 468). Connie had a sister named June, who was 24 years of age, and was often a gauge to measure the weaknesses of Connie. Connie was always shown to be far from reality, being always a dreamer, “who’s mind was all filled with trashy dreams” (Oates, 469). Throughout the whole story, Connie is depicted as a person who finds comfort in the company of her friends. Even though Connie’s mom favored her first child more, the only good thing was that, June would often go places with her friends, and that meant Connie had a legitimate reason for wanting to go out with her friends. Connie was someone who exhibited a sort of split personality, as she was one person in her house, with her family, and she was a whole different person once she stepped out of her house. She tells her family that she is going out to see a movie, but most of the time she would just cross the highway to a restaurant, shaped like a big bottle, and wait there to meet boys that are her age.
One night, sitting in the restaurant, as her normal routine, a boy name Eddie, came over to talk with Connie and her friend. After some time, Connie and Eddie left the restaurant, to go out to eat, while leaving Connie’s friend behind. Eddie stated “that she [Connie’s friend], wouldn’t be alone for long” (Oates, 470), indicating that she was cute, and she would find company very soon. Excited and enthusiastic, Connie got out of the restaurant and she drew a great big breath of air, for the pleasure of being alive. It was at that point, her...