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David Dunkelberg

Mrs. Carter
AP Literature
11 November 2014
Understanding Literary elements used for foreshadowing in Where Are You Going, Where Have You
Been?
Foreshadowing is defined as being warned of or indicated of a future event. Where Are You Going,
Where Have You Been? follows that definition to a clear standard throughout many instances in Joyce
Oates's short story. Connie becomes a character whose end is immediately seen from the first sentence.
Oates starts off this story with a clear example of foreshadowing within the first sentence
through the reader's point of view. "Her name was Connie. She was fifteen and she had..." (Oates, 1).

Comment [D1]: Kill the reader

This first sentence of the story is read and the reader can already infer something has happened to

Comment [D2]: Doesnt make sense


Comment [D3]: Kill the reader

Connie. This invokes the idea of a flashback as the word was shows a distinction that time has passed.

Comment [D4]: What does this mean? Why?

The first paragraph also references Connie talking to her mother and seeing a "shadowy vision of herself
as she was right at that moment" (Oates, 1). This shows that Connie can sort of see what is happening to
her, yet she is letting it happen at that moment, because it is only a "vision."

Comment [D5]: Explain in more detail

Connie's characterization foreshadows the ultimate end. "[Connie] knew she was pretty and
that was everything" (Oates, 1). This sentence shows what Connie thinks of herself and the belief she

Comment [D6]: What is this? Doesnt make


sense

has in herself that she truly is pretty, yet she doesn't know what is about to happen to her. Her
argumentativeness shows that she has a strained relationship with her family, which helps explain the
fact that she stays when they decide to leave. Her attempt to look and act older than she is reveals her
reach for becoming an adult, which she must face when Arnold Friend shows up at her house.

Comment [D7]: Word choice

Imagery through the literal use of seeing images and underlying tones are apparent with
Connie's love of looking into mirrors to check herself, when she sees into the glasses of Arnold, where
she sees a mirrored reflection of her leaving. This element of mirroring and seeing oneself is everywhere

Comment [D8]: Read aloud and revise; Run-on


sentence

in the story, as Connie can never let go of always evaluating herself and determining what she is doing.

Comment [D9]: So What??

Connie's experiences throughout the story are almost all foreshadowed at some point, and
Oates does conveys the ability to get lost, both the reader in the story, and Connie in her physical life

Comment [D10]: What is this?


Comment [D11]: Kill the reader

through her description and representation. Characterization, imagery, and small, subtle details provide
a true element of foreshadowing that the reader fully understands upon completing the story. The
literary devices show how people like Connie are victimized and helpless in certain situations, but not
just her, we all can be.

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