WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

Where are you going, Where have you been? 

                                                              Psychoanalytic Criticism 

                                                        Hi! 

Today I am going to do a Psychoanalytic Criticism about the story Where are you going, Where have you been? by Joyce Carol Oates.  This story was inspired by four Tucson, Arizona murders committed by Charles Schmid. Oates said that she dedicated the story to Bob Dylan because she was inspired to write it after listening to his song "It's All Over Now,Baby Blue". I have to say this is a very interesting story full of suspense, and it makes the reader want to continues reading to know what is going to happen next. It is very common in this kind of stories to think that something bad is going to happen at the end acording to every event that happens in the story. In this case the story let's the reader imaginate what would happen at the end. The story does not say if the girl decided to stay or go with Arnold Friend, so it leaves in readers imagination. In this story the most common aspects are, rebellion, sexuality, also the protagonist is a teenagerr and at that phase of life the moods, feelings and emotions constantly change. The hormones are crazy. 

From my point of view the girl Connie has not decided how to be herself. She acted acording to how the other girls act. She was confuse and insecure of everything around her. Also her mother used to compare her with Connie's sister and that makes people wonder if they are good or in this case what is wrong with her. Physically talking, she was beautiful, that kind of beauty no matter how young or old the gir is, people would like her. Also talking about her ego, she knew she was beautiful, perfect and diferent from the rest of the girls. That type of people are always hiding something, maybe her true self. In my opinion Connie provoked Arnold Friend, but the think is that she did not know he was not a young guy but, at the end he got obsessed with her to the point of followed her and make her felt nervous and afraid about his presence. Compariingthis story with the real life, those cases actually happen. Nowadays we have all type of social media and a person can follow our stepsacording to what we post on internet. We have to be careful with the things we post, and also with the people we meet and talk to.

Here is a short video for you to watch it and tell me what you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ih8UkxJqeQ

What would have happened if she had agreed to go with Arnold Friend? Also, what would happen if she had refused to go with him?

I'll be waiting for your answers!