This paper deals with Joyce Carol Oates's short story 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?'. Therefore, the following will be subdivided into two main parts. The first one is going to be an introductory one, in which every tool and term that is to be used will be spelled out and explained.
The first chapter is going to deal with the features of a short story. It is to be pointed out, what makes a short story a real Short-story and which features can be found in general.
In the second chapter, there is going to be an introduction to the literary postmodernism. Thus, an explanation of features characterizing the postmodernism as such is going to follow.
The third chapter is going to be an introduction to the story of initiation, in which its main elements and ideas are going to be presented and explained.
In the fourth and last chapter in this section, an approach on Genette's theories on narrative perspectives, as well as a suitable explanation for each one can be found.
The second part of the main section is going to consist of an analysis of 'Where are you going, where have you been?' in terms of every above named aspect, as well as the approach of classifying the short story as a story of (female) initiation.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis of Joyce Carol Oates's short story Where are you going, where have you been?
2.1 Introduction to the tools used for the analysis
2.1.1 What makes a short story a Short story
2.1.2 What is 'Postmodernism' in literature
2.1.3 What is a 'Story of Initiation'
2.1.4 An Introduction to Genette's 'Narrative Perspectives'
2.2 Analysis of the short story
2.2.1 Characters
2.2.2 Narrative Perspectives
2.2.3 Female Story of Initiation
2.2.4 Postmodern features in the short story
3. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive literary analysis of Joyce Carol Oates's short story "Where are you going, where have you been?". By employing theoretical frameworks regarding short story structure, postmodern literary techniques, narrative perspectives, and the anthropological concept of the "story of initiation," the research explores how the protagonist undergoes a transformative, albeit traumatizing, passage from childhood innocence to a realization of adult reality.
- Literary characteristics and formal requirements of the short story genre.
- Features of postmodern literature, including metafiction and hyperreality.
- The anthropological and literary concept of the "Story of Initiation."
- Application of Gerard Genette's theory of narrative perspectives and focalization.
- Character development and the impact of traumatizing experiences on female identity.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1 What makes a short story a Short story
As already mentioned in the title of this paragraph, Where are you going, where have you been? is considered to be a short story. In the following paragraph, the key features and elements of a short story are going to be pointed out.
By mentioning the term 'short story', the first thing that comes to mind is automatically Edgar Allan Poe. According to him, one important element is brevity. In one of his essays, in which he writes about the perfect length of a poem or a short story, he says that “[i]t appears evident, then, that there is a distinct limit, as regards length, to all works of literary art – the limit of a single sitting [….] for it is clear that the brevity must be in direct ratio of the intensity of the intended effect.“ (Poe 164) He also says that, „if two sittings be required, the affairs of the world interfere, and every thing like totality is at once destroyed. “ (Poe 164) Totality here is a synonym for his 'unity of effects' and means the intended impression the story has on its reader, not only while reading, but also afterwards, which is destroyed when the reader gets, for whatever reason, interfered during his reading session.
Concerning this topic, James Cooper Lawrence says: The limits to human patience are not very different today from what they were before the flood. A man will listen just so long to a story or read just so many pages and then the spell is broken; his mind demand a change of diet, and the effect of the story is lost. Every extraneous statement, every unnecessary word, must be eliminated in order to bring the tale within the bounds of patience.
This leads to the second feature of a short story: coherence. Every detail in the story has to fit perfectly into the context in order to create the unity of effects as well as to hold the reader's attention focused on the story from the beginning to the end, and is therefore indispensable.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's structure, defining the two main parts: the theoretical framework and the analytical application to Oates’s work.
2. Analysis of Joyce Carol Oates's short story Where are you going, where have you been?: This section serves as the primary body of the paper, detailing the analytical tools used for the examination of the short story.
2.1 Introduction to the tools used for the analysis: This chapter establishes the theoretical foundation by explaining the formal definition of a short story, postmodernism, the concept of initiation, and narrative theory.
2.1.1 What makes a short story a Short story: This section examines the defining features of brevity and coherence according to literary scholars like Poe and Matthews.
2.1.2 What is 'Postmodernism' in literature: This chapter defines postmodernism, focusing on experimental literature, metafiction, and the blurring of boundaries between reality and fiction.
2.1.3 What is a 'Story of Initiation': This chapter explores the anthropological definition of initiation and the stages of transition from childhood to maturity.
2.1.4 An Introduction to Genette's 'Narrative Perspectives': This chapter introduces narratological concepts such as narrative voice, focalization, and the distinction between overt and covered narrators.
2.2 Analysis of the short story: This section applies the previously established theoretical concepts directly to the text of "Where are you going, where have you been?".
2.2.1 Characters: This chapter analyzes the protagonist Connie and the antagonist Arnold Friend in terms of their psychological traits and roles.
2.2.2 Narrative Perspectives: This chapter analyzes the specific narrative techniques Oates employs, including the heterodiegetic narrator and internal focalization.
2.2.3 Female Story of Initiation: This chapter argues that the story represents a traumatic female initiation process involving the loss of innocence.
2.2.4 Postmodern features in the short story: This chapter discusses how the story functions as a postmodern text by blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
3. Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, summarizing how the various aspects confirm the story's postmodern and initiatory character.
Keywords
Joyce Carol Oates, Where are you going where have you been, Postmodernism, Short Story, Initiation, Narratology, Gerard Genette, Metafiction, Hyperreality, Connie, Arnold Friend, Loss of Innocence, Literary Analysis, Internal Focalization, Female Initiation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this paper?
The paper aims to analyze Joyce Carol Oates's short story "Where are you going, where have you been?" through various theoretical lenses to understand its thematic depth and literary classification.
What are the main theoretical pillars of the analysis?
The analysis relies on the formal definition of the short story, the characteristics of postmodern literature, the anthropological concept of the "story of initiation," and narratological theories regarding narrative perspectives.
What is the central research question?
The research explores how formal and thematic elements—specifically the initiation journey—shape the reader's understanding of the protagonist's transition from childhood to adulthood within a postmodern framework.
Which scientific method is applied?
The paper uses a descriptive and analytical literary method, applying established theories by scholars like Gerard Genette and Peter Freese to the specific text of the short story.
What topics are discussed in the main section?
The main section covers the analysis of characters, the narrative structure (voice and focalization), the classification of the plot as a female story of initiation, and the identification of postmodern features within the story.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Postmodernism, initiation, narratology, short story, loss of innocence, and the specific literary works of Joyce Carol Oates.
How does the author define the 'exit' phase in the context of Connie's initiation?
The author identifies the 'exit' phase as the moment when Connie finally gives in to Arnold Friend, moving away from her secure home environment toward an unknown, potentially dangerous adult reality.
Why is the narrator in the story classified as 'covered'?
The narrator is considered 'covered' because they report information, describe locations, and provide chronological accounts without offering explicit moral judgments or personal commentaries on the events taking place.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ann-Kathrin Beckenbauer (Autor:in), 2014, An Analysis of Joyce Carol Oates' Short story 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?', München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/313289
