Introduction
In Joyce Carol Oates’s story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” the main character is multifaceted and combines various exciting traits. The central feature of her character is her obsession with herself and forming an appropriate image for others. As a result, Connie changes her behavior according to her environment. In addition, she shows her rebellious nature toward family members, but courage takes a back seat when communicating with men. These three characteristics, egocentrism, rebelliousness, and vulnerability, form the main character’s image, helping us understand her reaction to the events in the plot.
Analysis
The story’s main character, Connie, is versatile and complex. First, her fixation on her appearance and how others see her is worth noting. Thus, it can be argued that Connie is a self-centered person. The following quote can be used to confirm this character trait of the main character: “She was fifteen and she had a quick, nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right” (Oates 1). In addition, she knew how to adapt to the situation: “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home” (Oates 2). Consequently, Connie is more concerned with how she appears to others than with what she is to herself.
Analyzing the character of the protagonist, one can notice her rebellious nature. It was especially true of her mother, who constantly compared Connie to her sister: “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister?” (Oates 1). She does not perceive her family as close people, often showing dissatisfaction with their words, actions, and presence in general: “Connie said no, she wasn’t interested, rolling her eyes to let her mother know just what she thought of it” (Oates 3). This behavior may be due to Connie’s desire for independence and self-reliance.
Despite her disobedient and stubborn character, the story’s main character is still vulnerable. This feature can be seen in the example of her interactions with men. She quickly succumbs to attention and does not quite understand how to respond calmly without showing unnecessary emotions. For example, this can be observed in the following quote: “Connie slit her eyes at him and turned away, but she couldn’t help glancing back” (Oates 2). Thus, even as she pretends to know what to do, the reader can see that she is unfamiliar with male attention and somewhat unsure of her response behavior. At such an early age, the girl does not fully understand how to manage and express her sexuality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Connie in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is self-centered and rebellious but vulnerable. Thus, the combination of the above traits is unique and largely explains her behavior. In support of this, this essay provides several quotes that testify to Connie’s multifaceted personality. Her image can be considered a collective image of all teenagers who lack understanding of their feelings and emotions and are unable to control them or behave accordingly. Under the mask of courage and audacity, the author shows the vulnerable character of the heroine and lets the reader understand all the challenges that teenagers struggle with while growing up.
Work Cited
Oates, Joyce C. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? The Ontario Review, 1991.