Joyce Carol Oates Story, Where Are You

¶ … Joyce Carol Oates story, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? The writer of this paper explores why society sometimes punishes those who are different using the story as an example.

Society has always treated people who are differently with a less welcome attitude than those who are like everybody else. It has held true in almost every life setting from school classrooms, to work environments to social gatherings. It has been this way since the beginning of history and is illustrated in many venues including literature. One of the classic examples of different people being punished for their differences can be found in the works of Joyce Carol Oates, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been." Connie was not like her sister and the differences displeased many around her including her own mother. Her mother often spoke to her with disdain and took many opportunities to remind her what a disappointment she was for not being like her sister. "Stop gawking at yourself. Who are you? You think you're so pretty?" she would say (Oates, 1990).

Her mother punished her with her attitude. She made it clear that Connie did not please her and that her sister Connie's sister June did please her. Connie saw through the anger though and knew the real problem was that Connie was jealous the way her mother used to be and June was plain. June was no threat to her mother's aging process, but Connie was. By being non-compliant, while her sister cooked, and cleaned and helped pay the bills Connie was exercising her right to be different than her sister. Her mother punished her for it because she was angry at the independence it illustrated.

Often times those who are different than the norm for their group, are punished because their very daring to push the envelope challenges the comfort level of those who are in the group.

When her mother said to her: "Why don't you keep your room clean like your sister? How've you got your hair fixed -- what the hell stinks? Hair spray? You don't see your sister using that junk (Oates, 1990)." What she meant was why is it that you are young and pretty with your life ahead of you and my young pretty days are over? It is the typical response when someone feels threatened by a person who is different. It is the same insecurity that often drives racism, snubbing and other forms of treating someone as an outcast.