"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

Teenage girls just want to have a good time, but when does that good time start to put you in harms way? In the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Oates, the main character Connie goes through a deathly terrifying experience. When reading the story I found my self getting nervous and scared; the way the author wrote the story puts you in the situation. I found myself really relating to Connie; she remind me of myself when I was younger. At times, teenagers do not think about the consequences of their actions just about what is occurring at the time and having fun. Connie liked the attention she got from others, but did her hunger for attention get her in trouble.

Anronld Friend is portrayed as almost a deviant character who uses Connie's innocence to take advantage of her. This part of the story got hard for me to read, I really sympathized with Connie. She did not want her family to be harmed, but also knew that if she went with this man she probably wouldn't come back alive. This story is very realistic and happens more often then people would probably like to admit. Connie's innocence and fear get her harmed.