New Jersey
Joyce Carol Oates on a New Jersey Adventure
Your story “The Frenzy” describes a weekend trip to Cape May, New Jersey, taken by a married father in his forties and the nineteen-year-old woman he calls his “teen-aged mistress.” How did the story begin for you? Did the idea come first, the characters, or the setting?
“The Frenzy” has two sources. One is the spectacle of an astonishing “feeding frenzy” of hundreds of thousands or millions of fish of all sizes, which I must have seen decades ago from a boat in the Atlantic Ocean, like the one mentioned in the story; it made a lasting impression upon me, and makes me shudder even now.
The other source is the setting: suburban New Jersey, the Garden State Parkway, Barnegat Light, and beautiful historic Cape May in the off-season. The right backdrop for a man hoping to revivify his life in some way. Also, to a lesser extent, the gritty urban New York City landscape around Varick Street—a neighborhood of expensive lofts in buildings that, from the exterior, seem minimal, grim.
“The Frenzy” seems to me a very New Jersey story, an adventure of naïve hope, cynicism, humbling, and humiliation—an ending that is surprising to the male protagonist but perhaps also to the female character.
At times, the man, Cassidy, seems like a stereotypical philandering suburban husband—narcissistic, domineering, but convinced of his own good intentions. At others, there are undertones of malevolence, potential violence. Is Cassidy banally self-aggrandizing, or is he something worse? Or do you want to keep the reader unsure?
Cassidy would appear to be a man yearning for an experience that gives meaning to his life, which seems to have atrophied, lost its significance. He has an unexplored capacity for brutality, which he is on the brink of revealing—but doesn’t, quite. Cape May is a place out of time, in a sense, ahistoric, a kind of alternate moral universe, where, if he wishes, he could punish Brianna at will—or so he thinks. At the same time, he is a middle-aged man fearful of throwing out his back. He hates seeing Brianna on her cellphone because he knows that she is texting a friend circle of people her own age, sending them pictures, messages, of a kind that she would never send him.
Brianna does initially pursue Cassidy, and although she seems willing to take or leave the affair, she is the one who calls Cassidy and asks to go on a drive. What do you think she is looking for with him? A replacement for the parents she’s fallen out with? Someone who can, literally, take her places—an entertaining diversion from friends her own age? Does she see him as someone she can control, thanks to his attraction to her?
It is not my understanding that people always behave with clear motives. Brianna is an impulsive person; she acts without thinking of consequences. She leaves Cassidy precipitously, surprising him by being so decisive. But, in fact, she is behaving instinctively, to save herself, leaving in the way she left her friend in his apartment on the Lower East Side. The same way she will leave others in the future. In a way, Brianna basks in her own being, behaving as she does simply because she can—which is possibly typical of some young women of her generation. They are not children any longer but they behave in childish ways.
The standard narrative in relationships like this is that the older man has the wealth and power and calls the shots, and the younger woman enters into the affair willingfully but innocently and is damaged in some way by it. This story follows that trajectory up to a point, and then flips it. Did you know from the start that that would happen?
Yes, the destination was always the unflattering, deflating voice at the door saying, “Housekeeping”—suggesting a perfunctory sort of cleanup of a mess made by people like Cassidy and Brianna. The romantic/erotic adventure has ended, and now a maid appears. But Cassidy, the seemingly dominant male, is naked, exposed. Whatever happens to him, he deserves.
How do you feel about the ongoing debate about characters’ “likability”? Do they need to be likable in order to keep the reader interested in—and empathizing with—them?
It would never occur to me to measure fictional characters by their “likability”—that seems very limited, trite. I never read prose fiction expecting to “like”—or “dislike”—characters but, rather, to be surprised, moved to emotion of some kind, by a story that is unusual in some way. Does one “like” or “dislike” Macbeth, Raskolnikov, Captain Ahab, among countless others? Literature is a texture of words evoking life in the most vivid ways—psychologically, physically.
I am most powerfully drawn to places, settings. I want to see, hear, smell, “feel” the atmosphere of a place. The Jersey Shore in the off-season is one such place. The misfired adventure of “The Frenzy” is exactly appropriate to the off-season at the Jersey Shore. It is neither “likable” nor “unlikable.” Like a feeding frenzy, it just is. ♦
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) — One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting in Paterson.
The violence erupted around 6:30 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of East 29th Street and 10th Avenue.
Children nearby gasped in horror at the sound of rapid gunfire. They were just about to sing Happy Birthday to their 13-year-old friend at her backyard party, but instead of blowing out the candles, they ducked for cover when they heard gunshots in the distance.
“Just hearing it – it was scary to witness, to hear. Especially on my birthday. Like a time I’m trying to play with my friends, get together,” said the 13-year-old.
She also says she had a friend who was there who saw what happened.
“He was going to the bodega – he went running back, but he had saw two people come out of a car and then shoot, but it was like an automatic gun,” she added.
Bystanders watched in shock and panic as first responders treated the victims. One of them was lying in the street next to a car and another was on the ground next to a bicycle.
Local councilman Luis Velez says the City of Paterson has taken measures to reduce crime in this part of town – what he calls a ‘hotspot’ — in part by installing security cameras. He is encouraging the community to cooperate.
“Paterson Police is doing their job as I know, they’re doing a great job to reduce crime, but one again we, the police, nobody, not even the news media has a crystal ball to say this is going to happen now,” Velez said, “Some people see corners getting built up, they see activities and they’re afraid to come out and say something, but our police department is trained to keep it confidential and approach to bring the quality of life in this area.”
The 13-year-old hopes her next birthday party is not ruined by the sound of gunshots.
“First we thought it was fireworks, but then we heard sirens and everyone started going home because they were scared,” she added.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Let’s be honest, we didn’t need a national list to tell us this. New Jersey has the best restaurants, the best food, and some of the most talented chefs anywhere in America.
It’s something locals have been saying forever, and now the rest of the country is catching up. Still, it’s always nice to see that recognition on a big stage.
We Already Knew New Jersey Was the Best
USA TODAY’s 2026 Restaurants of the Year list highlights standout dining destinations across the country.
From humble roadside gems to chef-driven hotspots earning major buzz, the list celebrates places that truly stand out, and New Jersey showed up in a big way.
Three New Jersey Spots Earn National Recognition
This year, three Garden State restaurants made the prestigious list:
- The Pasta Shop – Denville
- Ram & Rooster – Metuchen
- Anjelica’s – Sea Bright
And yes, that includes a Jersey Shore favorite, because of course it does.
These restaurants represent everything people love about dining in New Jersey, quality, creativity, and flavors that keep you coming back.
A Jersey Shore Standout Shines
There’s something special about seeing a Jersey Shore restaurant included among the best in America. It’s not just about great food, it’s about the full experience, the atmosphere, and that unmistakable local charm.
Anjelica’s in Sea Bright earning a spot only reinforces what shore locals already know: some of the best meals you’ll ever have are right here, close to home.
No Surprise, Just Well-Deserved
At the end of the day, this recognition feels less like a surprise and more like confirmation. New Jersey’s food scene has always been top-tier, and lists like this just make it official.
Keep Reading: Beloved New Jersey Restaurant is Closing
So whether you’re heading to Denville, Metuchen, or down the shore, you already know, you’re in for something special.
PHOTOS: Step Inside a 1970s Kitchen — 34 Things You’ll Recognize
From Tupperware jugs (you know the ones) to those ever-present knife sharpeners, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to the quintessential ’70s kitchen.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
If You Grew Up in the ’70s and ’80s, These Foods Were Super Fancy
From Babybels to Toblerone chocolate, take a nostalgic bite out of these ‘fancy’ childhood foods that made us feel way more elegant than we really were.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
FIFA and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill have become embroiled in a war of words this past week as the prospect of $150 train tickets to travel to World Cup games and plans to close parts of New York’s Penn Station have angered residents.
The recent uproar began after reports surfaced April 6 that parts of Penn Station would be closed to NJ Transit commuters not attending World Cup games for four hours before kickoff during the eight matches at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
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Moreover, round-trip train tickets between Penn Station in Manhattan and MetLife Stadium, where the final of the FIFA World Cup is set to be played, were announced by NJ Transit to come in at $150 per person.
A return ride on the same line typically costs $12.90, according to NJ Transit.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed during the Los Angeles stop of The FIFA World Cup 26 Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola at LA Live in Los Angeles on March 24, 2026.
In a press release on April 17, Sherrill said the move to increase prices was caused by FIFA’s decision to eliminate parking at MetLife Stadium. The Democratic governor said price increases happened because FIFA did not agree to cover the costs of transporting fans.
“We are committed to ensuring costs are shared fairly. As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans. If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day,” Sherrill said.
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More: Going to World Cup at MetLife Stadium? Expect $150 train tickets and no parking
FIFA, on the other hand, has said the price increase would have a “chilling effect” on fans attending games in New Jersey and said Sherrill’s demands asking FIFA to absorb transportation costs for fans were “unprecedented.”
“Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup,” Heimo Schirgi, COO for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said in a statement to USA TODAY.
The NJ Transit logo is seen in the lobby of the New Jersey Transit headquarters ahead of a press briefing on the New York/New Jersey FIFA World Cup 2026 regional mobility plan in Newark, New Jersey on April 17, 2026.
What are other cities doing with World Cup transportation?
New Jersey has not been the only place where transportation costs have been the subject of discussion ahead of the World Cup. In Boston, round-trip train train tickets on the MBTA from Boston’s South Station to Gillette Stadium are being sold for $80.
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Special event trains to Foxborough for New England Patriots NFL games and New England Revolution MLS matches are usually $20 for a round trip, according to local news station CBS Boston.
Other cities have not seen increases like the ones in New Jersey and Boston. In Atlanta, for example, train fares on the city’s MARTA will be $2.50 per ride, with children able to travel for free with a paying adult.
Kansas City is offering $15 round-trip shuttle rides for fans parking in four different park-and-ride locations, as well as those coming from FIFA’s Fan Festival in the city. Los Angeles, on the other hand, is offering fans a $3.50 round trip train ticket on its Metro Train.
SEPTA in Philadelphia is also keeping its prices low, with fans set to pay the base $2.90 fare for a ride on its Broad Street Line, which takes riders to Lincoln Financial Field, set to host six matches.
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Katie Sobko from USA TODAY Network’s NorthJersey.com contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup fans going to MetLife Stadium to pay $150 for NJT ticket
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