Joyce Car. Oats-Connie
Connie: The Big, Dumb, Horny Daydreamer When one looks at this title there is no doubt that it is an eyecatcher and that it must suggest some good points on a story. Connie, in Joyce Carol Oats' Where Are You Going, Where Have You been?, imagines that Arnold friend comes over to get her. Although Arnold Friend seems to be real to the reader and to Connie, he, his friend, and his car are all just imaginary in one of Connie's daydreams. There are many instances in the story that suggest this as well. Connie is a young girl of fifteen who is sexually active and doesn't seem to care much for any of her family. She is almost self-centered by the way she gawks at herself, knowing that she is pretty (p.702). Throughout the story we find out that she is a daydreamer, who seems to worship the music she listens to. The part of the story that tells us that Arnold Friend's visit is imaginary is when she leaves her sun-bathing moment in the backyard to go inside for a while. She turns on the radio and listens to the music for an hour and a half (p.704) At this point she falls asleep because a girl that daydreams all the time would fall asleep to the music. From this point on everything about Arnold Friend and all of the little e
705) As a matter of fact, we cannot tell for sure wether or not he takes notice of her or of what is happening because one cannot tell which direction the eyes are pointing through sunglasses. Everything she does revolves around music. What makes everything seem so weird is the change of setting. 707) Arnolds being described as "just a blur. The secret code of numbers, the dent, and the "man the flying saucers" are all weird things that would be seen in a dream but would not make any sense. It is apparently Connies way of life. Even more so, "the music from the inside radio and {theirs} blend together. This is her realization setting in as she finds out the truth about herself. He is portrayed as fake and fragile. This is replaced by " the vast sunlit reaches of the land". 709) The music in the story plays a rather large role.
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Acceptance Essays
