The story is about a rebellious 15 year old girl named Connie, whose mother constantly berates her for obsessing over her appearance and not being more sensible like her older sister, June. Oates wants to emphasize the inequality of men and women, and at the same time she is bringing forth her feminist beliefs that should be known to society. Connie, one young woman out of a country of young women, must confront her own questions and anxieties as she transitions into adulthood. The story’s title points up the threshold on which Connie stands, looking back to where she has been (childhood) and where she is going (adulthood). She presents a different version of herself when she’s home and when she’s out with her friends for validation.
One thought on “Week 14 Lorianny Neris”
Lorianny, the prompt for the week asks students to weigh three specific interpretations by the critic Rena Korb.