Adam Brown Prose analysis A Vital Conflict In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” In one of her well-known works, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Joyce Carol Oates presents an electrifying event in the life of a young teenage girl named Connie. Although numerous conflicts exist within this fictional account, there is one in particular that serves as the basis for the focal events of the story. That conflict is Connie’s relationship with her family, or more particularly her parents. There is constant friction between them, and although she is too naïve to recognize it, the fault is entirely her own. In Oates’ story, the conflict between Connie and her family develops from a combination of several sources, and it makes the story easier to relate to real life and thereby more meaningful as a whole.
By being able to understand her father without him using words shows how similar they are, and how much they understand each other. In a way, she is also categorizing her mother, and later on her sister, with the sinners, furthering her critical attribute. Another defining feature shared among the family members, is the prim and proper attitude towards everything. When the family is attempting to meet their sixty-one pound maximum requirement, Leah says even when they are “trimming” back it does not help them reach that constraint. Rather than saying, “cutting” back, as most would, she says the more gracious thing, offering insight into her upbringing as well as her parent’s parenting styles for the reader.
Under the care of her grandmother, she is able to recover, but never wholly reconciles with her father because her grandmother “was never fond of Dad in the first place” (Pham 57). Chi feels safe and secure and is even reluctant to move to America because “she felt at home in Phan Thiet and she loved Grandma” (Pham 58). As Chi grows up, her new freedom allows her to become braver, and this becomes associated with her new identity as a young teenager. When Pham’s family is escaping to America, Chi shows responsibility as the oldest sibling by helping her younger brothers. “’I’ve got your bag,’ she whispered.
Throughout the novel, Lily Owens goes through many changes in the way she acts and how she perceives things. After accidentally killing her mother, Lily feels insecure and alone without a maternal figure. Rosaleen, her nanny, doesn’t exactly fit the role. This causes Lily to lack femininity and maturity as a woman. Over the course of the novel she learns to see past color and living with the Boatwright sisters allowed her to learn more about herself, her mother, and of course, bees.
She is always thinking about how much worse it could be and how lucky she is to have what she is given and still have the comfort of her family. She feels as though her life is good and although there are things she doesn’t have, she is content with living like she is. As the months pass she begins to get short tempered and impatient with her mother. She questions why she has to live through the hard times she is
When Michael first finds out Josie is his daughter he has a very negative attitude and says, “ I do not want to see her. I do not want to love her. I do not want a complication in my life.” He is in denial about Josie, but over time after bonding together his perspective changes about fatherhood and wants to become a big part of her life. Michael’s change is gradual and came by with understanding and realization. Another key event in the novel is the change in relationship between Josephine and her Nonna.
I’m finally seeing the light’. This exchange occurs when Josie comes out after the heated argument with her mother about her dating and then understands that her mother has the right to a life of her own. The use of this metaphor shows that Josie is changing from a selfish person to an understanding teenager therefore the change is a sign of Growing Up.
“I spoke of his mother; told him that I had seen her not long before I came aboard. He did not answer.” (Davies 146) However it is also this relationship that causes a large shift in the ways of Magnus. The man who once did not care about his mother and her well being, suddenly became defensive and slightly emotional once he learns some much needed truth. It was a rough subject in Paul's mind that could not be healed. “She is a part of a past that cannot be recovered or changed by anything I can do now.
August knows that June is afraid to fall in love again because the last man that she fell in love with left her. June and Neil argue a lot about the issue of marriage; once their fight gets so bad that June tells him that if he leaves then he should never come back because she will never marry him. Even though at the beginning of the novel June did not want to take a chance and let people love her, she realizes that if you let someone in life becomes a lot
Sonja is not satisfied with the dispassionate marriage she is having with Leon as she describes it as merely “going through the motion”. She also suspects Leon of having extramarital affair and once Leon confesses his “one night stand that happened twice” their marriage breaks. However, because Leon hardly tries to communicate with his wife about his inner feelings and thoughts, it is this rare courage of honesty and his latter efforts that save his marriage. Honesty also acts as a tool that penetrates their respective emotional walls that are set private to each other. After