Symbols are images whose meaning is deeper than just their surface appearance. According to our textbook, a symbol is “[s]omething that suggest or stands for an idea, quality, or concept larger than life itself: the lion is a symbol of courage; a voyage or journey can symbolize life; water suggests spirituality, dryness the lack thereof (McMahan, Day, and Funk 1136).

A significant symbol in Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is the mirror. In the story, mirrors symbolize Connie’s false sense of herself, a narcissistic preoccupation with her outward appearance, and her inability to see herself as other than the object of someone else’s desires. Connie has learned to define herself by “glanc[ing] into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right.” Mirrors are symbols of her low self-esteem and romanticized idealism about herself and life. But when Arnold arrives, his mirrored glasses hide his eyes so that it is “impossible for her to see just what this boy was looking at.” This ultimate failure in the power of the mirror to reveal the true nature of things relates to the story’s theme of Connie’s growth toward adulthood and self-awareness

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In each of the stories which we have read there have been objects with special significance for the characters in those stories. Write an essay which explains the significance of each of the following objects to a character or characters of each story as that significance applies to the central theme or meaning of the story. Create one paragraph for each short story focusing on the symbol identified below:

Use the following introduction, verbatim, for your essay.

One way that writers can draw a reader into a story is through the use of symbols, images that take on significance beyond their obvious literal meaning. Often these images take center stage in a story, becoming focal points around which characters or plot develops. “My Oedipus Complex” by Frank O’Connor, “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro, “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich, and “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien each contains a central image that illustrates the theme of each story and helps define the conflict faced by the main character(s).

Write a brief body paragraph for each of the stories (approximately 125 words for each story). For an example of what your paragraph should look like, see the sample paragraph above on Oates, which is about 140 words in length. Be sure to include appropriate transitions that will move your essay from one story to the next. Your conclusion should re-emphasize the power of images within a story to define and qualify the conflicts within that story.

Your essay should be at least 500 words in length, not counting the introduction. You may refer to your textbook for quotations or details to use in your essay; however, you may not use any notes that you may have written.