The reading from this semester that I found the most meaning in would have to be “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates.
I relate with this story because I’m still a young girl, myself. I see a lot of the tendencies I used to have in the main character, Connie. Personally, I have met people similar to all of these different characters in this short story and it was easy for me to visualize them. This story acts as a blatant and terrifying warning to identify strangers, no matter what.
It’s hard to remind yourself of your naivety without it smacking you in the face. I think it’s important to listen to your gut, as people say.
Not only did it impact me, it provided an extremely valuable message which, in most cases, I believe is one of the most important take-aways from a short story.
