Where Are You Going Summary
Where are you going where have you been written by Joyce Carol Oates. Depicts a girl named Connie who spends time with her friends at night at a plaza. Instead of shopping Connie and her friends decide to go across the highway towards a restaurant where older kids would gather. While at the restaurant Connie meets a boy and decides to stay at the restaurant to eat with him while her friends go to the movies. While Connie is returning back to the plaza to meet her friends she glances to the side to see a guy with black shaggy hair. He makes a few comments saying that he is going to get her. On a Sunday Connie decides to stay home while her family goes to a barbeque. While she listens to music on the radio she hears a car pulling up the driveway. She encounters the guy with black shaggy hair introducing himself as Arnold Friend. Throughout the conversation with Arnold, Connie starts to notice a few things about him and his features. This article is giving insight to individuals of putting themselves in Connie’s place and how to handle situations like hers.
There are two main characters. Connie is a typical teenage
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In the article Where are you going, as pure realism written by Coulthard states, “Oates closely modeled her story on Charles Schmid’s murder of Alleen Rowe in the fall of 1965, just prior to the 1966 publication of ‘Where Are You Going?’ in Epoch” (Coulthard 505). Oates made the story sound more appealing to catch the interest of a younger audience to warn them to be more cautious and to keep the story in mind. Coulthard states, “Like all good stories, “Where are you going?” resonates in the mind, but it’s style is realistic not allegorical” (Coulthard 506). People who enjoyed the story or found it interesting will look into it more. Researching and finding more to the story, such as Coulthard finding the similarities between where are you going and the murder that took place in the late
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Arnold Friend Character Analysis
1258 Words | 6 PagesJoyce Carol Oates’s 1966 short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been has proven to give rise to many controversial topics. The main antagonist of the story, Arnold Friend, is Oates’s catalyst for these problems, with his character acting as the embodiment of a larger power. Most critics see Friend as a dark entity, often the devil himself. Joyce Wegs claims that “[Arnold] is not simply crazy but a criminal with plans to rape and probably murder Connie” (Wegs n.p.). Marie Urbanski argues that “[Friend’s] features appear … ominous [, as he has] slitted eyes ‘like chips of broken glass’ … ”
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Smooth Talk Essay
1005 Words | 5 PagesDue to Connie’s personality type, she is faced with risky decisions every day; for example, Connie crossed a busy highway only to hang out with older teenagers at a restaurant, where she met boys she liked and one boy, named Arnold Friend, who she did not like (Oates 325). Arnold Friend became Connie’s psychopathic stalker who seemed to know everything about her. To top it all off, Connie’s mother was jealous of her good looks, and would compare her to her older successful sister, June (Oates 323). “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is an educational read because of how many audiences it can easily relate to and affect. Not only does the short story provide intellect on the dangers of how rapists may go about their routines, but it also shows the reader the life of a broken
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Analysis
1061 Words | 5 PagesAll the Wrong Places I’m sure we’ve all heard about young and beautiful attention seeking girls who eventually end up in sticky situations. There are times where they may not ever get out of the situation but, if they do, they attempt to change their ways. In Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” , a character named Connie fits right in that category. Connie is very vain and loves attention. Connie’s attention seeking ways lands her in a predicament that she rather not be in.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Comparison
1203 Words | 5 PagesIn “The Flowers”, Alice Walker explores the woods through the eyes of a little girl named Myop, but she soon realizes the world isn’t as nice as flowers. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, Joyce Carol Oates follows a young girl named Connie who is focused on others and her own appearance, until she is introduced to the world in a unexpected way. Both Walker and Oates use young girls to show the harsher sides of the world and how their childhood changes to adulthood in different ways. The main thing that Myop and Connie have in common is that they are both females, but their looks and the way the live are totally different.
Analysis Of Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
1181 Words | 5 PagesThe short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” was written by the author Joyce Carol Oates in 1966. Oates describes her idea for the story after briefly reading an article about the real-life murderer, Charles Schmid, who lured and murdered three teenage girls (Kirszner & Mandell 523). She uses this idea to create the character, Arnold Friend, and his victim, Connie. Connie is a typical teenage girl portrayed as naïve and self-centered. The short story appears realistic, given that the conflict in the story is based off of real events.
Archetypes In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
1428 Words | 6 PagesHome is where the heart is, but what if home is no longer safe? Joyce Carol Oates explores this concept in her 1966 short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”. On surface level, this story appears to discuss a rebellious young girl named Connie and her confrontation with Arnold Friend, a stalker. The ending leaves the reader to assume that Arnold Friend plans to sexually assault the young girl.
Symbolism In 'Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?'
700 Words | 3 PagesIn the coming of age story “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates uses symbolism, conflict, and the third person to foreshadow fifteen-year-old Connie’s unfortunate, yet untimely fate. While one may think that the conflict stems from Connie’s promiscuity, it is clear to see her promiscuity is only a result to a much bigger conflict, her mother’s constant nagging and disapproval, alongside the lack of attention from her father. the author paints a vivid picture of what happens when a fifteen-year-old girl such as Connie goes elsewhere to find to find the love, attention, and approval that she lacks at home. All which is vital for her growth and wellbeing as a person.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Theme Analysis
1255 Words | 6 PagesConnie uses her attitude and appearance to attract boys. But she is not aware of the reality of the society in which she lives. Connie is living in a fantasy world, but when she gets trapped by Arnold Friend she is put into a scary reality. There
Examples Of Allusions In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
854 Words | 4 PagesArnold Friend’s Biblical Allusions In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Joyce Carol Oates tells a story of a young, innocent teenage girl, Connie who enjoys listening to music and begins exploring her sexuality and being with boys “the way it was in the movies and promised in songs” (Oates 198). In fact she catches the attention of Arnold Friend one night while at the mall meeting up with a boy. Not knowing he would appear in her life, Arnold strangely shows up at her house assuming they made plans to get together. His character is seen as the devil.
Literary Devices In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
804 Words | 4 PagesIn her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Joyce Carol Oates utilizes a variety of literary devices to strengthen the story in its entirety. This short story is essentially about a 16-year-old girl named Connie and the conflict between her desire to be mature and her desire to remain an adolescent. Throughout the story, the audience sees this conflict through her words in addition to through her behavior. The audience is also introduced to Arnold Friend, a rather peculiar man, who essentially kidnaps her. This short story by Joyce Carol Oates functions and is additionally meaningful because of her usage of literary devices.
Character Analysis Of Connie In 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been'
984 Words | 4 PagesInstead of realizing the danger that she was in, Connie was focused on what Arnold Friend was wearing and how attractive he was. Connie’s obsession with finding her own sexuality overpowered her gut feeling of danger. In an analysis of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, Barbara Wiedemann discusses how the antagonist Arnold Friend is based upon serial killer Charles Schmid, who murdered several young girls during the 1960s. In the analysis, Wiedemann
Connie's Double Personality
913 Words | 4 PagesShe was never nourished or taught to be confident in herself by her parents, so she is only doing what she thinks is best to get attention. Connie’s disagreements with her family and struggles to make herself sexually attractive are part of her search for independence. Connie’s search for this has a brutal outcome though. When Arnold appears and interacts with her he yanks her out of her childhood and places her into an adult world from which no one will rescue her. The night that she encounters Arnold Friend, she meets a boy named Eddie at the drive-in and he asks her to walk to his car with him, so she does.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been: Analysis
460 Words | 2 PagesSmooth Talk is slightly based on Joyce Carol Oates’ story titled “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” but isn’t as straightforward and frankly gruesome. The story focuses on the 1960’s suburbia from a teenagers perspective. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” focuses on topics relevant in the 1960’s including the Sexual Revolution. Oates’ focuses on major issues and topics such as feminism, sexual freedom, and adolescent sexuality.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Literary Analysis
694 Words | 3 PagesIn Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” the main protagonist finds herself in a very hostile situation. With an all most fateful encounter with a man known as Arnold Friend. Forcing her to choose whether to run off with him or taking her by force. This man known as Arnold Friend to the reader comes off as almost a demon. A person who uses many temptations, word play, and threats to take advantage of the young protagonist Connie.
Analysis Of Where Are You Going And Sonny's Blues
1230 Words | 5 Pages“At its most basic, every story is an attempt to answer the question What happened?” (Norton 85) One of the most significant elements in a short story is plot. Plot is construct by authors and they rearrange the character’s action in a consequential way to shape our response and interpretation (Norton 85). In "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates and "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin, they use similar plot styles that contributes to the process of maturation for characters in the stories.
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