Flat characters

These are stereotypical, very predictable and arouse no surprises in the reader. They are one-dimensional.

Round characters

These are more exciting and capable of arousing reader’s interest and surprise. They have a unique reaction to conflicts. They are deep and have hidden desires and fears. Their personalities are well defined.  They too have goals and targets to meet.

Connie

She has been portrayed as a rounded character. She excites readers as she is always up to something. Her conflict with her family is unending as her concerns are outrageously adolescent. She is out to explore her sexuality and concentrates more on her sexual self.

Her desire is mainly to live her age and satisfy her curiosity. She flirts with boys, is concerned with her looks, loves music, explores her sexuality, and loves to have fun with her peers. She lives vibrantly. She likes to attract men and has a unique style of walking, laughing and dressing that bring out the sexual appeal in her.

She is unpredictable as she has a split personality. She acts differently in different environments. At home, she conceals her sexuality but lets it out when with her friends. She has a hidden desire of proving her maturity and prefers to attract men who are older. However, she does not fully know the meaning of adulthood and reality (SparkNotes Editors).

Jane Allsop

Jane is a flat character. Her life is boring and she does not seem to enjoy it. She is the exact opposite of Connie. She suffers self reproach and does not behave like other children of her age.

She lacks antics and the reader can expect nothing exciting from her. She is portrayed as not clever literary and feared new concepts which she never grasped. She grew up in a boarding school and does not know the meaning of friendships but prefers a solitary life (Newyorker).

She has no goal or desire as her life is controlled by her mother who even asks her to go out and play unlike Connie who would sneak out by herself.

Unlike Connie, Jane is not curious to express her sexuality. She has not discovered make-up or mingling with boys.

Works Cited

SparkNotes Editors. SparkNote on Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?.

SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.

New Yorker. Tessa Hadley€“An Abduction July 9 & 16, 2012. by Paul Debraski. July 6, 2012.