During adolescence, they no longer want to be called “children; in fact, they have a strong desire to rebel against family norms and quickly transition into adulthood. This transition and need for freedom can be a very powerful and scary thing because there are evils in this world that cannot be explained. Most parents try to understand and give their teenagers certain freedoms, but at what cost? Joyce Oates tells us the chilling story of a teenager who desired and craved that freedom of adulthood called "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" ". It is the haunting story of a young girl named Connie who gives us a glimpse of a teenager emerging from childhood with the need for freedom and the consequences of her actions. Connie is described as a very attractive girl who disliked her role in the family unit. She was the girl who couldn't compare to her older sister and she felt that her mother showed favoritism towards her sister. Connie is an average teenager who likes music, hanging out with friends and she likes the attention she gets from boys. During this time, Connie is also growing in her sexuality and is obsessed with her appearance as she wants and enjoys being noticed by the opposite sex. His sexual personality and his need to be free will be what is fatal to his character's life and well-being. At home, Connie would listen to her mother talk or gossip about other teenagers and what they were doing, but Connie never spoke to her mother. as to what she and her friends were doing. Connie behaved very differently at home when she was with her family, as if she was still in childhood, being good, innocent, and obedient to her parents. Connie would dream a lot about what life would be like if... middle of paper ... common bond that most teenagers have in society. The need and desire to experience certain attributes of adults while retaining certain aspects of life as a child. This is a dilemma that adolescents in society must face; However, there are also certain evils in the world that are unknown to many. Works Cited: Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where are you going, where have you been.” Backpack literature. An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama and writing. Ed. XJ Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 4th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2006. (323-336). Print.Weird, Tom. “A source for “Where are you going, where have you been?” » “Where are you going, where have you been?” » Ed. Elaine Showalter. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1994. 81-89. Roberts, Kate "The paradox of adolescent girls: should they grow up or fall behind?" http://drkateroberts.com 2013/12/25. Web 4/25/2014.