The Writings of Joyce Carol Oates Joyce Carol Oates appears to be a very innocent woman. Her small face surrounded by large glasses and thinning soft brown curls adds to her frailty. This outside appearance, however, fools most people who have not read anything by her. Her writings, in fact, are the opposite of innocent and lead many people to ask the question; how can this delicate face bear such a dark and brutal imagination? Most of the works written by Joyce Carol Oates takes places during very traumatic and turmoiled times. Oates acknowledges the tragedies of these times and through her stories she forces the American public to deal with these catastrophes