"A Goodman is Hard to Find" and "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been"

A Good Man Is Hard To Find

This short story is full with characters with their own personality, and most of the time their unique personality annoyed me. That was done on purpose to mix the feelings and the sense of right and wrong inside the reader. I say that because as a reader I couldn’t decide whose side I want to be on, the grandma selfish and ignorant, and her family annoying and self concerned, or the Misfit and his gang, the murderers and run aways for who you know did and will be doing bad things to people.  The author on purpose have the situations and comments of the grandma and her family where you cant but to giggle how cute the situation turns out to be. For instance, when she realized her memory was cheating on her, she turned red in face. At that moment there is something making you feel sorry about the poor grandma. But then the author continues how a little mistake made everything go bad and the reader gets mad with the outcome of the accident.

In the other corner there is Misfit, with “a big black battered hearselike automobile” indicating death. You want to hate him, but he reasons the reader with statements so confusing that you might approve his actions. And at the end, at least me, I was glad the old lady got shot, for all she wanted was to get out of the situation alive.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Joyce Carol Oates clearly belongs to a different time period. The whole story is more modern like and could easily be visualized and interpreted as something happening nowadays. What makes this story so unique is the antagonist that appears to be more than just a regular person.  What is specific for the more modern Gothic novels, or short stories, is that modern environment now has to play the role of Gothic elements from the beginning of the beginning of the Gothic movement. what I mean by that is that cars and normal houses have to take the role of castles or other secret meanings.

The protagonist in the “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a mixture between femme fatale and typical Gothic heroine. I state that because she is easily flirting with everyone, is very pretty and unique but very independent with her style and despised by those jealous of her because of it. On the other hand, she is a typical Gothic heroine because she had to surrender to the will of the man, submissively adjust her wishes and actions and do what the Arnold Friend demands of her.