“Where are you going where you has been” by Joyce Carol Oates

Case scenario: conflict

“Where are you going where you has been” by Joyce Carol Oates is a story that entails conflict as the central scenario. Conflict as a contrast is illustrated in the very early stage of the story. Connie plays the character that has a different face from other people. The disagreement between her family members and friends develops the discussion about the conflict. Connie engages in an unusual activity whereby everyone else was opposed to Connie due to her unusual behaviors which at some time had no moral integrity. At the end of it all, she the last person to encounter in such scenario is Arnold (her friend), but things never need responsibly. Her engagement in conflicts contrasts the final results at the end of the story. Hence, the ideas vary for all the participant making different objective by creating conflict as an overall subject of the matter.

The very first scenario involves Connie’s mother scolding Connie because of spending much of her time at the mirror looking at herself. Connie’s mother carries her analysis whereby she compares Connie with her Sister June. However, it is significant that the conflict is not only between Connie and her mother but with her sister June. Indeed, she is level headed she is a secretary and hence acts to be a life controller.

Therefore, this is a contrast to Connie who always things of beauty. Connie thinks that the most significant image to other people is to look beautiful (Oates).

Internal conflict within Connie also appears in the story. Connie tries her best to be sovereign considering that being independent whereby she was entitled to reach her objective on by stand-up with her own feet. Even though June seemed to be caption in the right way, Connie is not pleased with and instead her naivety caries with her throughout her life. Connie is only fourteen years of age, she if acts differently from her sister as she relies on others. Connie even goes for shopping with older boys and spends time in the restaurant with them. These activities are entirely different from expectation from the family members. But Connie takes it as an ordinary activity without any knowledge where she will end up.

Actually, the most recognizable conflict is the struggle Connie between her friends 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 (Oates). Connie also links her friend to the devil through thinking from her perceptive on h way her friend out looked. Connie notices that Arnold has shabby black hair with the crazy outlook of a wig. His wig is suggested to be the hiding the horns which is associated to have an association with the devil. It can be noted that Connie is never in good terms with her friend by preventing the friend from coming into her house unless invited due to the belief of being associated with the devil. This conflict portrays Connie to be more associated with conflict. In her thoughts, Connie believes that her house would be on fire since Arnold was associated with devils. This is a remarkable argument between the two.

Additionally, in the story, Connie’s desire for attention and notoriety is projected by Arnold. Arnold is seen to be so emboldened by his advice to Connie. Indeed, Arnold desires that Connie come with him and getting to kidnap her is the most basic conflict. Arnold uses both physical and psychological manipulation. Connie notices and does not want to go with Arnold. She grasps that she has no chance to make her decision while Arnold friend to threaten her family. As a result, she is left with little choice. Ideally, Arnold demonstrates self-conflict internally between his desires and his age he wants to be seen as young and allowing him to be closer to lure young girls like Connie. Definitely, the conflicts come out openly when Arnold speaks to the youth in their vernacular of which he got a little problem as the person who victimizes and stalks Connie in misunderstanding ways.

Connie involved herself in some contradictions that led to ruining of her life as she interrupted with the closest people. Most often a human being is a social animal, and she is expected to interact with entire members of the community socially .one is supposed to observe all measures that govern the ethical and the norms of the society. But in this case, Connie never archived the real social aspects expected from a youth of her age. Connie messed up by engaging in weird and awkward behaviors that impacted to ruining of her life. This was so negative and primitive in comparison to her sister as the family members observed. All these were as result of backwardness that created just from the conflict scenarios existed.

Connie’s conflict character started between her family members. She understands them to be traditional like people. Connie is unable to comprehend even her predicament but it also the need to be independent of them. Connie’s conflict with her sister because she finds her to be too plain and then unable to grasp the characterization of being famous through the various behaviors incorporated in her. Hence, at the beginning of the story, her conflicts vastly contrast to her conflicts during the end of the story. This several cases that Connie encounter herself with mysterious contradiction with her family generated the fundamental conflict which builds up the story. Therefore showing the unusual behaviors in opposition to moral integrity and person views in contrast to the expectation from her family members. Hence the story proves the idea of conflict as created by Connie.

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.