Where are you going where have you been. Social Security 2023: Here's When Your January Check Arrives 2022-12-30

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"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is a short story by Joyce Carol Oates that was first published in 1966. It tells the story of Connie, a 15-year-old girl who is coming of age and struggling to find her place in the world.

The story is set in the early 1960s, in a small town in the United States. Connie is a typical teenage girl, obsessed with her appearance and her relationships with boys. She spends her days flirting with boys and trying to look attractive, and she often ignores the concerns and warnings of her family.

One day, Connie meets a strange man named Arnold Friend who begins to stalk her. Arnold is a creepy, older man with a distorted face and a distorted voice, and he seems to know a lot about Connie and her habits. Despite the obvious danger, Connie is drawn to Arnold and begins to engage with him, even though she knows she should stay away.

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Arnold is a predator who is trying to lure Connie into his grasp. Connie's shallow and self-absorbed behavior has left her vulnerable to Arnold's manipulation, and she ultimately pays a terrible price for her lack of awareness and caution.

The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of ignoring one's instincts and not paying attention to the warnings of others. It also serves as a commentary on the perils of adolescence and the importance of being aware of one's surroundings and the people around us.

Overall, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is a powerful and thought-provoking story that speaks to the timeless struggles of growing up and the importance of making wise choices in life.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates Plot Summary

where are you going where have you been

She notices the landscape and understands that she will disappear into it. After a while she heard a car coming up the drive. Overwhelmed with emotion, Connie retreats inside the house. Connie willingly separates herself from the family; she is disdainful of the idea of going to the barbecue and would rather spend time home alone, perhaps an attempt to assert her maturity and independence. It was too hot. He was the first popular author to come from the interior of the country.


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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

where are you going where have you been

Her blossoming sexuality elicits desire, but it also places her in great danger when Arnold Friend takes an interest in her. Connie's Mother: Was once very beautiful when she was younger and is now a frustrating figure in Connie's life. The January checks will include your first COLA increase for 2023. Arnold Friend was saying from the door, "That's a good girl. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Most headlines were grim, full of fear, dread, and sent the nation into a panic.


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A Summary and Analysis of Joyce Carol Oates’ ‘Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?’

where are you going where have you been

They sat at the counter and crossed their legs at the ankles, their thin shoulders rigid with excitement, and listened to the music that made everything so good: the music was always in the background, like music at a church service; it was something to depend upon. But he spoke too loudly and it was as if he were speaking to someone behind Connie. Her father is fairly distant and busy with work. And high heels, the poor sad bitch—nothing like you, sweetheart! She went inside the house and turned on the radio to drown out the quiet. She wore a pull-over jersey blouse that looked one way when she was at home and another way when she was away from home. It pointed out to the left, bent at the ankle. Arnold Friend was pleased at her laughter and looked up at her.

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Symbolism in "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" Essay Example

where are you going where have you been

If you received Social Security benefits before May 1997, or if you receive both Social Security and SSI, the payment schedule is different. This time the boy—later revealed as Arnold Friend—has a predatorial presence, and the way he speaks to Connie is casually threatening. I'll tell you how it is, I'm always nice at first, the first time. She could see then that he wasn't a kid, he was much older—thirty, maybe more. Her mother went scuffling around the house in old bedroom slippers and complained over the telephone to one sister about the other, then the other called up and the two of them complained about the third one.


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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Summary & Analysis

where are you going where have you been

He had fair brown hair, with a lock that fell onto his forehead. Christ," wondering how bad she looked. She looked out to see Arnold Friend pause and then take a step toward the porch, lurching. She decides on an act of self-sacrifice. This little girl's no trouble and's gonna be nice to me, so Ellie keep to yourself, this ain't your date right? Don'tcha wanta go for a ride? She said suddenly, "Hey, how old are you? This isn't Ellie's date. However, at the end of the story, she makes a heroic gesture by sacrificing herself for her family. She backed away from the door.

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Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Essay Examples

where are you going where have you been

He held the radio away from his ear and grimaced, as if without the radio the air was too much for him. Author Joyce Carol Oates Type Short Story Genre Fiction, Drama Written 1966 Published 1966 Tone Anxious, Sinister, Serious, Sympathetic Tense Past Point of View Third-person Limited Omniscient Themes Loss of Innocence, Appearance vs. Don't you know who I am? The string of nonsensical language he utters seems to be further evidence that his disguise is wearing thin. Connie is a fifteen-year-old girl who loves nothing more than spending time with her friends at the plaza and flirting with the boys she meets there. Connie runs into the house and picks up the telephone, but can only hear a roaring sound and is unable to dial a number and call for help.

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Themes

where are you going where have you been

Evidently, Oates seems to have mastered the art of literal realism. It's Arnold Friend, who asks Connie to come along with him and a friend of his on a ride. Connie looked away from his smile to the car, which was painted so bright it almost hurt her eyes to look at it. So they went out to his car, and on the way Connie couldn't help but let her eyes wander over the windshields and faces all around her, her face gleaming with a joy that had nothing to do with Eddie or even this place; it might have been the music. The car came to a stop at the side door and the horn sounded four short taps, as if this were a signal Connie knew.

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Analysis

where are you going where have you been

I always tell the truth and I promise you this: I ain't coming in that house after you. Her name was Connie. He again describes how he will have sex with her and threatens her family before repeating his instructions for her to come out of the house. He says if she does, he'll come into the house. He read off the numbers 33, 19, 17 and raised his eyebrows at her to see what she thought of that, but she didn't think much of it. Put it back right.

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JOYCE CAROL OATES: WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

where are you going where have you been

Then she remembers she had seen him at the restaurant the night before. Oates's 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Various authors utilize different elements to enhance and strengthen their writing. He tells her to get up and come toward him, and she obeys. She did not appreciate Arnold Friend being there and wanted him gone. This is an implication that, even when realist literal works are based on true events, they are different from reporting because of the fact that these stories have to be retold with fiction characters.


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