“Where Are You Going Where You Have Been” by Joyce Carol Oates is a story that entails conflict as the central theme. Conflict as a theme is illustrated in the very early stage of the story. Connie plays the character that differentiates her actions from those of others. The disagreement between her family members and friends develops the discussion about the conflict. Connie engages in an unusual activity whereby everyone else has his/her personal view that specifically disagrees with Connie. At the need of it all, the last person to encounter such a scenario is Arnold (her friend), but things never need responsibility. Her engagement in conflicts contrasts with the final results at the end of the story. Hence, the ideas vary for all the participants, creating different objectives and creating conflict as an overall subject of the matter.
The very first scenario involves Connie’s mother scolding Connie because she spends much of her time in the mirror looking at herself. Connie’s mother carries her analysis whereby she compares Connie with her Sister June and Connie’s dissent tends to look like. However, this acts as significant that the conflict is not only between Connie and her mother but with her sister June. Indeed, the level is headed she is a secretary and hence acts to be a life controller. Therefore, this is in contrast to Cone, who always thinks of beauty. Connie thinks that the most significant aspect is to look attractive (Carol &Wolff).
Internal conflict within Connie also appears in the story. Connie tries her best to be independent believing that being independent whereby she was entitled to reach her goal by standing on her own feet. Even though June performed actively and seemed to be heading in the right direction, Connie is not pleased with it; instead, her naivety carries with her throughout her life. Connie is only fourteen years of age, she is acts differently from her sister as she relies on others. Connie even goes shopping with older boys and time in the restaurant. These activities are entirely different from the expectations of the family members. However, Connie considers it an ordinary activity without any information about where she will end up.
Actually, the most recognizable conflict sign includes the struggle Connie meets with their friend Arnold. Despite the efforts to make her leave, Arnold remains rooted at her Door. Without the worries from the police, Arnold remains fixed on Connie’s door (Carol & Wolff). Connie goes ahead by linking her friend to the devil. Connie finds her friend with shabby black hair and the crazy outlook of a wig. His wig is suggested to be the hiding of the horns, which is associated with the devil. It can be noted that Connie is never in terms with her friend by preventing the friend into her house unless uninvited due to the belief of being associated with the devil. This conflict portrays Connie to be more associated with conflict. They believe that her house world is on fire since Arnold was associated with devils, a remarkable argument between the two.
In the story, Arnold also projects Connie’s desire for attention and notoriety. Arnold is seen to be so emboldened by his advance on Connie. Indeed, Arnold desires Connie to have come with him, and getting to kidnap her is the most basic conflict. Arnold uses both the physical and psychological manipulation of his actions. Connie notices and thinks she does not want to go with Arnold. She grasps that she has little chance to make her decision, while Arnold’s friend tends to threaten her family. As a result, she is left with little choice. Ideally, Arnold demonstrates internal self-conflict between his desires and age to be seen as young, which allows him to be closer to luring small girls like Connie. Definitely, the conflicts come out openly when Arnold speaks to the youth in the vernacular, and he has a little problem with the person who victimizes and stalks Connie in various ways.
In conclusion, Connie developed the character of the conflict that started between her family members. She understands them to be traditionally like people. Connie is unable to comprehend even her predicament and also needs to be independent of them. Connie’s conflict with her sister is because she finds herself too plain and unable to grasp the aspect of being famous. Hence, at the beginning of the story, her conflicts vastly contrast with her conflicts during the end of the story.
Work Cited
Oates, Joyce Carol, and Tobias Wolff. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Difusión, Centro de Investigación y Publicaciones de Idiomas, 2013.
