"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" by Joyce Carol Oates

As teenagers begin to grow and mature, their emerging sexuality becomes quite evident. Both girls and boys began to realize that members of the opposite sex are not icky and do not have "cooties." Beginning with holding hands, relationships begin to develop. This jump into adulthood and maturity is a positive occurrence. However this emerging sexuality has a dark side. Hormones spread like fire, often leading teenagers to go beyond simple kisses. Temptation surrounds teenagers, especially teenage girls. The desire for rebellion is also evident, and extreme sexuality is extremely rebellious. In addition, the world is filled with rapists and murderers. These rapists often strive to lead young girls on the path of rebellion and temptation, the dark side of sexuality. The sexual theme is often hidden in literature, and the darker sexual theme is often ignored. Joyce Carol Oates went beyond the typical expectations of society and wrote a short story with such a theme. …