Where Have You Been and Where Are You Going

When comparing the two characters in the short stories made me think of a quote, I heard outgrowth up as a kid. Telling a teenager the facts of brio is like giving a fish a bath. Now practice these two stories the truth of that quote rings true. As teenagers we were hidden to feel and the consequences of those decisions. I made publicy mistakes, as teenagers that, I now understand were foolish and not intelligent. Life lessons are tough as Sammy and Collie both(prenominal) discovered.In the short bal one(a)y of A&P Sammy is a internal secretion driven girlish teenager who is attracted to three young girls that walk into his shop on a boring day in nothing to a greater extent than a suggestive swim admit. In a hormone ghost stupor Sammy wants to impress these rebellious teenage girls. As you read the story you see how Sammy becomes enamored with the three young girls in what can be further describe as erotic and stimulating instantly. Sammy describe one of the girls s wim suit as the straps were off her shoulders looped loose around the chill tops of arms, and I guess as a result the suit had slipped a little on her. (Kennedy 17)This is definition of hormones beca map any young man is hoping to catch a peek at a naked woman. As a teenager that is what you pray for at night. Sammy became even more sullen on when her eye moved across the racks, and stopped, and turned so slow it made my stomach rub the inside of my apron. (Kennedy 17) This could be considered Sammys start-off lustful affair from afar. Sammy wants to be noticed by these girls except the blink of an eye hasnt presented itself. Mr. Lengel gives him the perfect opportunity to become their champion.When Mr. Lengel express to the girls how inappropriate their expression are for a grocery store. Sammy went into a fit of anger to be dramatic from his future suitors. In Sammys mind these young gorgeous teenagers were making a declaration of loveliness that existed only on a higher l evel and it was free of the codes of the average grocery shopper. Sammy resigns in an examine to defend their honor, but recognizes his foolishness when the girls leave without giving him as much as a glance. In the short story of Where are you going.Where down you been was a very hard trying piece to read. Connie is a young girl and knows it each(prenominal). Connie was a typical teenager female who only concerns were her looks, ordinary music, and boys. Connie was preoccupied with her appearance that she would crane her neck into the mirrors, or checking other tidy sums faces to make sure her own was all right. (Oates 381) Connies stupefy would reprimand about being so vain and belittled her by placing her older sister on a pedal stool to be up too.Connies mother urged her to be more responsible which is something we all heard as teenagers. Connie wished her mother and sister was drained because she wanted to be her own individual. Connie like a typical teenager felt in visible and she ignored her mothers warnings. Connie is able to hang out with her friends because June had pose a practised precedent. Connies best friends get down would drive them to the shopping plaza and pick them up with no questions. Connie and her friends would use the shopping plaza as the meeting place but only to run to the dine-in to meet boys.Sunday afternoon the family goes to a barbecue at the Aunts house. When asked by her mother if she wanted to go, Connie rolled her eyes and said no because she wanted to feel independent plus she was to good to hang out with little kids and play. Connie was a grown woman until Arnold arrived and brought nates to reality. This story is sad responsibility and paying attention to her surrounds is important. Connie cried out for her sister and mother when Arnold was abducting her with no success.The same people she wanted dead for independence she wanted to save her from this monster. The similarity between the short stories by John Updike and Joyce Carol Oates shows how as teenagers we act impulsively, we are invisible, and no tending for consequences. Not until later after time realize our mistake but it is to late to correct. Those mistakes are called life lessons and that is what both these characters have in common. Sammy and Connies lessons is simple as a teenager you are not unprocurable but vulnerable to lifes painful lessons.