Connie is now able to identify false aspects of his appearance, most importantly that he is a grown man and not a kid her own age, and that he has clearly made an effort to alter his appearance. Arnold uses the lyrics of popular songs to seduce and connect with Connie. He read off the numbers 33, 19, 17 and raised his eyebrows at her to see what she thought of that, but she didn't think much of it. He tells her quietly where they’re going to go and tells her to come outside. You may only need to look to the Bible to find the source for Oates' title. Simply add the numbers together to understand the reference. Her inability to identify the right and safe paths makes her vulnerable to the deadly and painful realities of life. “Yes, I'm your lover. Connie represents the gullable Persephone, and Friend is Hades. Connie has strained relationships with her mother and sister, which, combined with an emotionally-distant father, creates a sense that Connie is alienated within her family. At the drive-in she first meets Arnold Friend who creepily makes a "sign" in the air and let's her know that he's after her. Arnold has a picture of himself spray-painted on the side of his car. I know all about you […] I'm always nice at first, the first time. Connie liked the way he was dressed, which was the way all of them dressed: tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pull-over shirt that was a little soiled and showed the hard small muscles of his arms and shoulders. She takes a bold step of choosing her family’s safety rather than her own. Kate Greenaway (Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons. The significance of this act meant that she would have to return to the underworld. As if under a spell, Connie obeys him and the story ends with her walking down the path to the car. One night, as usual, Connie and her best friend are dropped off at a mall by the friend’s father. Instant downloads of all 1368 LitChart PDFs “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” opens with a physical description of its fifteen-year-old protagonist, Connie—a pretty blonde girl living in 1960s America whose life revolves around bickering with her family, hanging out with her friends, and drooling over boys. Friend continues his attempts to coax Connie out of the house, but she is further alarmed by his change in tone and laughter. The implication is that she will never return. © 2008-2020 Custom writing papers. is a daunting tale that explains the difficult path of travelling along the aching transitions of life. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? She prefers hanging out with her best friend at a drive-in restaurant and picking up boys. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”, “This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Now that Connie has decided to leave the house, Friend compounds her estrangement from her family, home, and childhood by negating her past and future. These cookies do not store any personal information. This is another example of Connie’s ability to present a certain version of herself at home. The author introduces the readers to a teenage girl (Connie) going along her merry way, but sadly attracting the attention of a shady man who enters her life, threatening to change it for good. She spends most of pastime by picking up boys at a drive-in restaurant, hanging out with her best friend, and listening to music. The sinister element to Friend’s behavior continues, and the fact that his hair looks like a wig immediately suggests he is not the teenage boy he pretends to be. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.”, LitCharts uses cookies to personalize our services. I'll hold you so tight you won't think you have to try to get away or pretend anything because you'll know you can't. “Now, these numbers are a secret code, honey,” Arnold Friend explained. She is forced to make a choice between her family and herself. The car that Arnold Friend drives is mentioned as ‘an open jalopy, painted a bright gold‘. It was a boy with shaggy black hair, in a convertible jalopy painted gold. Connie decides to chat with the strange driver. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Joyce Carol Oates' story is about a young girl, at the edge of adulthood. He wasn't tall, only an inch or so taller than she would be if she came down to him. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.”, LitCharts uses cookies to personalize our services. The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, penned down by Joyce Carol Oates, is based on the tale of Charles Schmid, a killer who was written about in the 1966 Life Magazine issue. Connie takes great pleasure in her appearance, so much so that her. It not only shows the influences of pop culture, but also the cloudy judgment, unrealistic hopes, dreams, sex, and sexual desire. He comments on her blue eyes, even though she has brown eyes. She combined inspiration from the music of Bob Dylan along with her understanding of modern culture and society. After she runs in the house and makes a failed attempt to call for help, he lures her out. Friend has made attempts to disguise not only his true appearance but his intentions from Connie by adopting the style of teenage boys so that he will seem familiar and unthreatening. The civil rights movement and hippie culture pushed many towards experimenting with their sexuality. From the golden color, to the painted phrases and number, all act like a flame attracting the moth towards him. Friend seems adamant that Connie leave the house of her own free will, opting to slowly manipulate her and emotionally terrorize her rather than bring her outside by physical force. The story is set in the ’60s, post-World War II, where many were questioning values of life. She had to pay her life off by the time she learned the good lessons of life. I'll hold you so tight you won't think you have to try to get away or pretend anything because you'll know you can't. She thought, I'm not going to sleep in my bed again. Where Have You Been?" Thus, he ends forcing her without even laying a finger on her. While the meaning to Friend may be different, the message from Oates to the reader is clear. Ask yourself this: Would the devil use the Bible in the proper way? I’ll hold you so tight you won’t think you have to try to get away or pretend anything because you’ll know you can’t…. Unlike many stories of that time, this one has an open-ended ending. And I'll come inside you where it's all secret and you'll give in to me and you… The short story is dedicated to Bob Dylan, but why is this? This created a story that is likely to be read, analyzed and discussed for generations. The fate of the protagonist however hit me in such a way that I became afraid of even the silliest exposure to sexuality and adulthood. It made me ponder my own life. You don't know what that is but you will,” he said. Soon his talks become sexually explicit, and he describes what he would like to do to her. The story being an allegory for tough moral decisions illustrates the painful story of moving along the transitions of life. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. She is highly influenced by the popular music and lives of the rich and famous, and often daydreams of love and romance as shown in the movies and mentioned in songs.
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