WHERE ARE YOU GOING?WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

AUTHOR JOYCE CAROL

OATES Born on June 16,

1938, in Lockport, New York, Joyce Carol Oates spent her childhood on her parents’ farm. Lockport, a small rural town, had struggled economically since the Great Depression, but it provided Oates with a wholesome environment in which to grow up.

CHARACTER LISTConnie -  The fifteen-year-old protagonist of the

story. Connie is in the midst of an adolescent rebellion. She argues with her mother and sister, June, and neglects family life in favor of scoping

out boys at the local restaurant. She tries to appear older and wiser than she is, and her head is filled with daydreams and popular music that

feed her ideas of romance and love. Arnold Friend -  A dangerous figure who comes

to Connie’s house and threatens her. Ellie -  A friend of Arnold’s. When Arnold drives up

to Connie’s house, Ellie stays in the car, listening to music and watching while Arnold talks

menacingly to Connie.

June -  Connie’s older sister. June is nearly the opposite of Connie. Twenty-four years old, overweight, and still living at home,

she is a placid, dutiful daughter. She obeys her parents and does chores without

complaining. 

Connie’s Mother -  A near-constant source of frustration for Connie. Connie and her mother bicker constantly and

disagree about almost everything. Connie’s mother envies Connie’s youth and beauty,

which she herself has lost.

THEMES

The Search for IndependenceConnie’s conflicts with her family

and efforts to make herself sexually attractive are part of

her search for independence. As a teenager, she is dependent

on the adults in her life for care and discipline as well as for

enabling her social life. 

Fantasy versus RealityAlthough Connie works hard to present the appearance of being a mature woman who is

experienced with men, her encounter with Arnold reveals that this is only a performance. She has created an attractive adult persona through her clothing, hairstyle, and general behavior and gets the attention she desires

from boys.

AN OUTPOST

OF PROGRESS

AUTHOR Joseph Conrad  

( December 1857  – 3 August 1924)

was a Polish author who wrote in English after

settling in England. He was

granted British Nationality  in

1886, but always considered himself

a Pole.

CHARACTERS

Kayerts Carlier

Makola - clerk, assistant, bookkeeper of Kayerts and Carlier (calls himself

Henry Price) Gobila (father Gobila)

Gobila's people Natives (involved in ivory deal)

STORY

ANALYSIS

The story can also be read at a symbolic level. It focuses on the colonial situation

in Africa towards the end of the nineteenth century and challenges

readers to examine the ethical questions raised by the policy of

colonialism. From the very beginning it becomes clear that the title Outpost of

Progress is ironic, for the two white men are lazy and incompetent.

The theme of incompetence, destructiveness and cruelty of

colonialism is developed as a story of progresses. The gradual physical and

moral deterioration of the two colonial administrators, leading to

their death, can be interpreted as a reflection of the general state of

colonialism.