James Terry Discussion 14

In the story “Where have you been, where are you going” I believe this story was about the inevitable. Connie starts out as this young care-free teenage girl and ends up stoic and accepting of her fate. The twilight of the teenage years is the last time being a silly unaware child is acceptable in American society. In the article by Korb, he mentioned the feminist view of this story being about a woman giving into a male culture. I have a more universal take. This story in my view is the reality of life everyone must face.

Whats so interesting about this story is that nothing is as it seems. Arthur Friend, is more likely a 30 year old man that attempts to pass himself off as a 18 year old. The diner she went to and described as “fly-infested” though she thought of it as a sacred building. Connie, as many teenagers do has a skewed view of the world. This skewed view does not help her fend off her impending possible demise.

This story represents the realities of life that we all face after the end of our childhood, a death of childhood so to speak. We realize as adults that many thing we believed as children are not real, the fun places aren’t so fun anymore and the candy makes you sick. The paint begins of fade, and the shine of the world begins to dull, however just like Connie did, we accept it.

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