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The stories with the girls as the main protagonists grew popular during the last couple of decades. They traditionally represent the problems girls usually meet during their lifetime (typically, teenage or young adult years). In Girl and Where are you going, where have you been, there are two protagonists with similar issues and conflicts. This article aims to discuss the similarities between the rows and the narrators significance in the stories.
Two stories follow different narratives; for example, Girl is told via the second person, and it is the story about society. To be more precise, it is the novel about girls and their expected behavior in the community, which can be viewed as a sexist overview of societys stereotypes (Kincaid, 2006). The storys conflict is man versus society, where a woman (or a girl) has to follow specific rules to not look like a slut. The girl in the narrative avoids being called that, even though she feels that way inside. She creates a set of rules that helps her not to look like a prostitute and not be raped in the society where boys think like rapists.
In Girl , the protagonist tries to be perfect in the eyes of society and, therefore, be ideal for herself. She avoids being who she is in order to please everyone else around her (Kincaid, 2006). Moreover, the main character creates a set of rules to become the best girl for everyone around her. Therefore, one more conflict in this story is about the girls battle against her desires and the rules created by society.
Moreover, the Girl barely touches the subject of nature which is manifested through her desire to walk bareheaded in the hot sun, put washed clothes on the stone heap, never pick someone elses flowers, and catch fish (Kincaid, 2006). This is a significant theme in almost every novel since the antique times; nature reflects the inner state of the humans soul. Furthermore, the given article is reflecting the attitude of the main character towards herself, the society, and life.
Regarding Where are you going, where have you been , the conflict of a man versus man is almost apparent. There is a conflict between Connie and Arnold Friend, which is also a conflict of the main character with her inner state (Oates, 2018). She is resentful at first and does not want to go with the two strangers to an unknown place. However, when Arnold starts to sound threatening and somewhat evil, she surrenders to his power, and the conflict is resolved (Oates, 2018). Moreover, Connie unresolved conflicts with her family, the members of which did not understand the fastidious teenager and her soul. Eventually, they did not have the chance to help their daughter because the most likely ending for her was rape and death.
Furthermore, the conflict between man and society is also apparent. The community is manifested through Connies family who glorify her boring and common sister (the perfect daughter). At the same time, they shame Connie for her behavior because she dares to oppose her family (society) (Oates, 2018). Moreover, the community is represented as friends who do socially acceptable things and influence the main character to become same as them.
If to speak about nature, it can also be seen throughout the whole plot. In the sun, it is in the grass around the house; it is in the words of Arnold Friend, who tries to convince Connie to go to the forest with him and his partner (Oates, 2018). As can be observed by the reader, the two stories have similar conflicts of two different yet alike girls trying to appear as someone they are not.
Girl is told through a second person, which includes addressing the reader and the main character as you. In such a point of view, the author addresses the reader to deepen the message they are attempting to deliver. The second person is not frequently used in the literature, even though it is considered influential because of its appeal. Writing in a second person can be problematic since while addressing the reader directly, narrators also express their commentary regarding the plot of the character.
It is also essential to distinguish the second-person narration from the first-person narration, which addresses the audience. The second-person perspective is seldom used in fiction because it is rather complicated to create an excellent narration and develop characters and the story. Such type of narration appears to be appropriate. In such a short piece of writing as Girl, the second-person narration looks natural and proper indeed, because it addresses the rules for girls to the reader.
The narration makes it seem as if the storyteller is there, presenting the story. The narrator makes the reader feel as if he or she is another character closely connected to the girl. This is made in a rather exciting manner since the reader can appear as a hero with different characteristics based on the readers perception. One can feel affinity with the girl who knows her inner feelings and emotional state.
On the other hand, Where are you going, where have you been is described through the third-person narration, which is quite popular in literature. The author tries to tell about the situation from a perspective of an unseen entity which can see everything but stays neutral and does not intervene (Oates, 2018). In this novel, the narrator is subjective because it uncovers the whole spectrum of the main characters feelings. The author describes her interests, characteristics, and the deep fear of the two unknown men trying to lure her into their trap.
As the reader, one can experience the presence of the author in some sentences. They can feel the authors emotions, who seems to have empathy towards the teenage girl. Oates (2018) does not remain neutral in this particular case; she is clearly on the side of Connie. Even though she portrays Connie as a controversial and overall typical teenager, she also showcases the horror the girl experienced. Moreover, she describes Arnold Friend as the evil force, the devil, the horrid male figure who tries to rape and manipulate an underaged girl.
The narrators vision is limited because she does not predict the future events inside the narration, only in the ominous images such as the antagonists appearance at the party. The author seems to have no special knowledge of the characters except Connie. However, at the same time, this type of narration can describe the inner state of the protagonist and the outside perspective on the situation. The vision of the narrator is restricted to the one character and her motivation. Oates (2018) explains some essential parts of the story and suggests the rest, like the relationships inside the protagonists family. It also seems as if Oates identifies herself with the main characters because sometimes her opinions and judgments are similar to Connies.
In both cases, the reader cannot directly hear from and enter the thoughts of the protagonists. However, in both cases the narrators are significant figures, which represent the story altogether. In the second-person perspective of Girl, the narrative is described through the eyes of the reader and is fused with their thoughts and feelings. In the third-person subjective perspective, the narrator describes the sense of Connie as well as the outside perspective on the situation. While one cannot see and feel the narrator in Girl, in Where are you going, where have you been the storyteller can be seen in some sentences, as they reflect the authors opinion on the situation.
To conclude, the stories with the female characters are rather interesting to review. These two examples of the teenagers readings are the representatives of second-person narrative and third-person narrative with the subjective storyteller. The main characters of both stories have a plethora of conflicts and difficult societal issues. The Girl concerns the rules the society has imposed on females for them to be acceptable. In the Where are you going, where have you been, there are societal issues of manipulation and rape, which appear every day with the underaged girls. In both cases, the narrator plays an integral part in the story, and the aforementioned issues are essential part of the plot. The stories uncover the main characters thoughts and feelings, and tell the story, even though in the first case, the narrator is unseen, while in the second the storyteller is part of the story.
References
Kincaid, J. (2006). Jamaica Kincaid, on Girl . In Ann Charters (Ed.), The story and its writer: An introduction to short fiction (7th ed.). Bedford.
Oates, J. (2018). Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Ontario Review Press.
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