she knew she was pretty and that was everything" (Oates, 14). Connie, the main character of the story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?, had based her life around this concept. Connie fit into the stereo typical role of a teenage girl, like most of them do. She was completely focused on her looks and receiving the attention of he attractive, older boys. Throughout the story, the reader gets a chance to not only see Connie's physical and social sides, but her emotional side as well.
Connie's physical characteristics are that of a normal fifteen year old girl. She was described as having long, dark, blond hair that she wore " part pulled up on her had and puffed out and the rest she let fall down her back" (Oates, 15). Connie had deep brown eyes that reflected nicely off of her blond hair. When she spoke, she had a high, breathless, amused voice that allowed the reader to imagine Connie in a child-like manner. She had thin wrists which she would always wear jingling charm bracelets. Joyce Carol Oates overall described Connie as a pretty, young girl.
Most teenage girls have two different sides concerning their social life; the side they show to their parents and the side they show to their friends or peers. Connie was not different. At home, she did not was to do the household chores, like cleaning her room and cooking. She thought that she was the favored child because she felt she was prettier than her older sister, June. As she walked about the house, Connie would often stop to look in a mirror to make sure that her hair was in the right place. Finally, when it came to family events, she opted to stay at home. The other side of Connie's social life would come into play when she went into town with her best friend, Betty Schultz. The two girls would waltz around town acting older and more mature. It was extremely obvious that Connie liked the attention that she received from older boys.