Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been &amp Essay Example

and an ideal sister whom her mother admires and expects Connie to replicate. Her father is always absent, except for mealtimes, reading the newspaper, and sleeping. Connie believes that her family disregards her own existence.

According to Oates (694), Connie's family is not one she talks to much. However, Connie craves attention and seeks it from boys when she doesn't receive it from her family. On weekends, she frequents the mall or sneaks off to a restaurant where older kids hang out. Connie's freedom allows her to sneak around without anyone restraining her. Similar to Paul, Connie lacks authoritative figures who set boundaries or question the consequences of her actions. Furthermore, if Connie's mother or Paul's father decide on punishment, the children hide their concerns and show no outward signs of worry.

Connie consistently deceives her family when she goes out, successfully avoiding detection until it is too late. According to the text, "She always drew thick clear lines between herself and such girls, and her mother was simple and kindly enough to believe her" (Oates 695). Her parents showed no interest in intervening or questioning her activities. From a young age, Connie habitually fantasized about boys, relationships, and romantic notions, indicating her immoral behavior at such a tender age. The text suggests that both characters had troubled relationships with their parents.

The children's parents lacked involvement in their lives and failed to set boundaries or instill proper morals. This lack of guidance contributed to the teenagers' pursuit of romance at a young age. In Connie's situation, she is involved with a man whose intentions exceed her comfort level. On the other hand, in "Paul's Case," his romantic

aspirations revolve around achieving a higher social status. He views actors, singers, and other aristocrats as the embodiment of passion in life.

Paul believes that these individuals are the fortunate ones who are living the lifestyle he desires. He despises his own life and tries to suppress these feelings by substituting them with fantasies and falsehoods that he plays out in his mind. As stated in the text, "It was at the theatre and Carnegie Hall that Paul truly felt alive; the rest was merely a state of unconsciousness and forgetfulness" (Cather 542). Paul fabricates stories about his life to his classmates, claiming that he is about to embark on thrilling adventures or travels, only to come up with excuses for being present at school the following day: "...

In Paul's view, natural things often appeared ugly, so he believed that beauty required a touch of artificiality. His experiences elsewhere, filled with mundane activities like Sabbath-school picnics, penny-pinching, constant advice on how to succeed in life, and the pervasive smell of cooking, made this existence particularly appealing to him... irresistible even. It is hard to emphasize enough how convincingly the entrance of that theater became the actual gateway to Romance for Paul (Cather 543).

Paul constantly thinks about this romance, while his days are occupied with suppressing his unromantic life and substituting those memories with the phony romanticism from his own imagination. Similarly, in "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?," Connie spends her days and nights daydreaming about boys and romantic scenarios: "Dreaming and dazed with the warmth surrounding her, as if this were a form of love, the affectionate touch of love. Her thoughts drifted

to the boy she was with the previous night and how pleasant he had been, how delightful it always felt" (Oates 696).

Connie's constant thoughts of romance often lead her into compromising situations, like the one she finds herself in when she sneaks around. If she didn't sneak around, Arnold Friend would not have noticed her. Music seems to accompany Connie whenever she is mentioned, creating a romantic atmosphere that attracts and entices Arnold. He uses his portable radio to lure Connie out of her house and into his control. "Ellie's got a radio, see. And now Connie began to hear the music, it was the same program that was playing inside the house" (Oates 697). They spend time discussing music, which causes Connie to hesitate at the doorway instead of seeking refuge inside her house.

Connie is unsure of her feelings for Arnold, but her romantic desires override her logical thinking. She is naive and fails to realize she is already a victim. Both Connie and Arnold are portrayed as being naive about what the future holds for them. Paul, on the other hand, is naive in his aspirations to live among wealthy actors, singers, and aristocrats. He desires a different social standing than what he has inherited.

Paul acknowledges that he may never successfully pass as someone who was born into wealth, but he believes that he can continue his life among them without them ever suspecting anything. "He had doubts about the truthfulness of his past... He did not feel embarrassed or lonely at all. He had no specific interest in meeting or getting to know any of these individuals; all he desired was the

privilege to observe and speculate, to witness the lavish display" (Cather 547). Paul fails to understand that these individuals had to work tirelessly to achieve their status, enduring hardships, taking care of their families, and persevering.

Paul's lack of experience and knowledge is evident when he arrives in New York, a city known for its affluent residents. The wealthy individuals Paul aspires to be a part of would never accept someone with no morals like him. These people did not achieve their success through dishonest means, nor did they have their father cover up their wrongful actions or lie about their background or accomplishments. The very people Paul desires to emulate are also the most likely to disapprove of his behavior. As stated in the text, "He only had to look at his clothes to realize that he could not be humiliated here" (Cather 547).

This quote shows Paul's naivety as he believes his clothes define him. In "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?," it is evident that Arnold had planned his actions towards Connie, although Connie remains unaware of this. Arnold skillfully leads Connie into a dangerous situation. Connie's innocence regarding boys is showcased as she unquestioningly believes their words. When Arnold Friend appears unexpectedly at Connie's house, she is not surprised by his knowledge of her address or her lack of familiarity with him.

At the beginning, he displays questionable behavior, complimenting her appearance. Despite the red flags, Connie becomes engrossed in the attention Arnold is giving her and fails to take action by locking the door or contacting the police. "Connie blushed a little, because the glasses made it impossible for her to

see just what this boy was looking at" (Oates 697). Arnold persists in addressing her as "honey" and insists on taking her for a ride. At this point in the narrative, Arnold is already aware of Connie's name, as well as details about her family and friends, yet she still has an opportunity to escape and protect herself.

Connie's realization about Arnold's true intentions comes too late, as she has already ventured too far to turn back and is ignorant of her impending doom resulting from her naivety. Both characters in these short stories become victims due to circumstances that could have been avoided. The challenges of growing up without parental guidance make it incredibly difficult for the teens to shape their own identities. Consequently, they struggle to differentiate between right and wrong when faced with romantic situations.

The teenagers are infatuated with the idea of romance in their youth. Instead of focusing on school and acne, these two adolescents are fantasizing about boys or operas. Moreover, despite their young and inexperienced nature, these teenagers display a surprising level of naivety. They should possess enough common sense not to steal money from their employer or trust a middle-aged stranger. The evident similarity in their character traits demonstrates their loss of innocence. It is reasonable to assume that both teenagers' deaths could have been avoided.