Dec 20, 2009

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? | Literary Qualities

The first line of "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"— "Her name was Connie"—signals that the story will be told by a third-person narrator. This narrative voice stays closely aligned to Connie's point of view. The reader learns what her thoughts are, but the narrator provides no additional information or judgment of the situation. For instance, Connie's harsh appraisals of her sister and mother are discussed: "Now [her mother's] looks were gone and that was why she was always after Connie." However, it is clear that this assessment is Connie's and not the narrator's.

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