Connie's Self-Consciousness

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The story “We Are You Going, Where have you been?” by Carol Oates centers on a fifteen year old adolescent girl. The protagonist in this story is Connie, a high school student going through the uncertainties and challenges of growing up. This is evident in Connie’s own self-analysis of her physical self, the nervousness, and anxiety that she exhibits as a teenager. Connie is also experience self-consciousness as she awkwardly looks at her reflection in the mirror, while comparing her face to others. Her mother who constantly scolds her echoes Connie’s self-consciousness, while her father is completely silent, practically nonexistent in her life. In addition, Connie compares herself to her elder, 24-year old sister, June. June may be plain and chunky but is steady, confident, often drawing praise from her mother. Connie teenage awkwardness is evident as she is always aware of the opinions of others, as seen in her interaction with her friends while out in town. Furthermore, Carol Oates is creating an image of the struggles, sexual innocence, challenges of being an adult, and the terror in young girls as they transition. This is evident in Connie who exhibits is shy around boys, blushes a lot when Eddie spoke to her, and could not confide in her friend or sister. Connie’s terror and uncertainty of dealing with the opposite sex is seen in the nervousness and inability to defend herself against Arnold Friend. …show more content…

Reminiscing the events in the neighborhood and school, many of the situations directly relate to the incidences Connie goes through in the story. She tried to create a sexy appearance and enticing boys in the local diner serve to explore the new worlds. Her bold step on searching for independence has brought her a brutal

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