CC0
In her critical overview of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (Activity 2) scholar Rena Korb discusses several different interpretative views of the story.
One interpretation reads the story as a sort of “inverted fairy tale.”
Other critics see the story as “a tale of initiation” into the evils of a depraved American culture.
Still others may read the story as a “feminist allegory.” Ideas in these interpretations often overlap, and there is no one simplistic key to understand the story.
With reference to the article by Korb, discuss your own understanding of the story, which may include ideas not mentioned by the critic.
Also, address comments to others by name so we can all follow along.
112 thoughts on “Week 12 Discussion”
After reading the short story “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” written by Jocy Carole Oates, I was left in disbelief and unsettled. The psychological and subtle supernatural horror elements within the story add to its unsettling nature. Especially in this day and age, when young women have to constantly be wary of men they interact with, regardless if it is in a romantic nature or not. In some ways, this story resembles a cautionary tale with its unfortunate ending and naive main character. Throughout the story, Connie ignores obvious red flags, from Arnold himself, to leaving her friend to hang out with the boy from the diner. Connie’s perception of romantic relationships is heavily, influenced by the music and movies she consumes. Blinded by a false reality, it isn’t till Arnold manipulates her and continues to harass her that she realizes her perceptions of reality are false. It is honestly saddening because once she leaves the house she understands that this predatory older man will be the cause of her demise. I think most of the story’s interpretations are valid, that’s what makes this story so disturbing is the amount of symbolism and realism woven into it.
Serafina, you have a really good point about the mix of symbolism and realism. It would be one thing for the story to just be about the devil and an innocent child, but Oates is really able to immerse us in the story with the setting and the way Connie behaves. It wasn’t written all that long ago so Connie behaves pretty much like a teenager does nowadays, which is what made it so disturbing to me.
Serafina! Your point about the psychological and subtle supernatural horror element within the story is really unsettling and mirrors the reality that happens today in our society. As you also mentioned that Connie ignores the obvious red flags as she is naïve and has a false misinterpretation of appearances. Connie often portrays herself as a mature woman, paying extra attention to superficial things and her looks. But when she is confronted by Arnold Friend who makes her look at adulthood more closely, thus forcing her to leave her childhood and silly adolescent fantasies about love and romance behind her, and to step into realities of a mature woman.
Serafina, I know the story is very disturbing. You make a very good point when you write that the slightly supernatural details, as seen in Arnold Friend, add a special chill to the story. Certain elements such as his apparent clairvoyance, his deceptiveness, even the strange coded numbers on his car suggest the devil. He usurps all Connie’s power and even her sense of reality. And yes, various interpretations can be valid simultaneously when we look at this deeply horrifying story.
I absolutely agree Serafina, I especially like the way that you note Conny’s clear disconnect between the reality of the situation, and what she first perceives. it especially felt very awkward to me the way that Conny overlooked the very alarming red flags due to her romanticized view of something she has not had experience with but based on her want to be around older kids, wants to be a part of. Then it did dawn on me that it did mention early on that she had a very romanticized view on love, movie-like even. This dillusion gave the man just enough time to trap her, and ultimately lead to her unpreventable demise.
Seraphina I like your way of seen this story, I wrote mine ignoring many aspects of it and while reading your essay, I thought about what I wrote in mine. I wish to have read yours before doing mine as one of your sentences say, “most of the story’s interpretations are valid… the amount of symbolism and realism woven into it.” this makes me think that because of the story been so “disturbing” anyone can make a valid point about it, regardless of if it makes sense or not, “symbolism and realism” of this story can be open to any idea or believe. I also agree a lot on the part in which you say, “when young women have to constantly be wary of men they interact with” I am a man, and hearing those things makes me feel bad, I get we man tend to be stupid but feeling fear of any woman that I interact with doesn’t fit my mind. Wish these kind of horrible things and the awful behavior some men have didn’t exist.
Hi Serafina, I agree with your opinion. This work, which started with a slip like an American nostalgic youth movie, gradually shifts from there. I think that the situation that it is too late to notice the change when the actual situation changes little by little is a horror element. Women of ages like Connie are interested in interacting with the opposite sex, but they are immature and inexperienced, so they cannot make calm decisions. By the time she realizes it is dangerous, she may already have a late and sad ending.
Serafina I completely agree with everything you wrote. Throughout the story Connie ignores obvious red flags that were around her and did not pay close enough attention to what was going on around her. It was not until she was in danger that she noticed the ages of the men who she let get close to her.
Chayadevi, please make sure your responses to others meet the length requirements so you can receive full credit.
Serafina I agree with your comments on the story, it was unsettling reading it as it progressed. And as you said it is sad that it is the reality women of this age and practically in our history have had to endure. Her idea of what romance and freedom is isn’t what it seems and for those reasons she ended up in that situation
Manuel, this was submitted on Monday, April 26th.
While reading the story, one thing at the forefront of my mind was the irony between Connie’s relationship with her parents and the title, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”. Her parents don’t seem to care about where she is or who she spends time with. It doesn’t seem like they have ever taught her about “stranger danger” like parents teach their kids nowadays. One interpretation I draw from the story is a critique of the attitude that suburban parents had at the time, that nothing bad ever happens in their neighborhood, which unfortunately allowed many children to be abused. I also found it ironic that Connie’s death is in part caused by the way American entertainment portrays love as sweet, gentle, and consequence-free, considering the fact that the film adaptation had to be watered down, portraying a happy ending rather than the brutal outcome that Oates had intended.
Section 1209
Josh, thanks for this excellent and clear response to the question, which expands upon one of the interpretations put forth in the Korb article. It’s true what you write about the suburban idea—held by both Connie and her parents—that everyone is safe there. If the parents are deluded, it’s no wonder their child has no sense of reality and the possibility of danger. Through this lens, the story is a cautionary tale about the responsibility of parents to both teach their children and be smart themselves. What an astute observation you make that Hollywood—the very establishment that has fed Connie’s fantasies—could not allow the real ending written by Oates and instead had to cling to the idea of sweetness and consequence-free resolution. I’d never thought of that before!
Josh I like that you mentioned the irony of the story based on the title. Connies parents do not really seem to care about her. Connies father drops her off at the mall all day and when he picks her up he doesn’t even bother to ask what she did all day and her mother only seems to be worried about her sister June.
Hey Josh! I agree that the parents were ignorant about Connie and her safety I believe because of how they leave a 15-year-old kid just by herself in the house. But as I have mentioned in my previous post, I do not completely agree that her parents did not teach her to be aware of strangers because we can see that Connie at first refused to go inside the car with the predator until he threatens to harm her family. And this is a very emotional and weakness of I believe most of us. And she is just a teenager who is learning to adapt to the brutal side of reality. I think because of how terrified she was, the fears in her along with the innocence of a kid blinded Connie to decide what is right and what is death.
Josh,
I totally agree with your assertion that suburban people overlook any danger that could occur between them because they always imply that they live in a close neighborhood and everyone knows each other. However, there is no doubt that there is a relationship present, but I think that there might have been too great of an error made in not imposing greater restrictions on Connie. It would of forced her to gain a psychological stability or foundation that would have helped her to prevent interacting with arnold’s friends and companions.
Josh,
I agree, they seemed to be harsh toward Connie. I don’t understand why though. I was really annoyed by Connie’s mother and I thought it was ridiculous that the mother could be jealous of her own daughter, or how there is a sort of favoritism between Connie and Jude. It’s really sad because I think Connie always felt her mother’s contempt for her. Even worst, how sad it is that her parents can have such disregard for parental responsibilities they owe to their children because children need adult guidance in life. I could imagine myself being a parent and if some character like Arnold contacted my child I would be so upset.
Reading the short story ” Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carole Oates I felt a sense of sadness. This story mirrors reality in it’s horrifying portrayal and not only this girl’s fatal misperception of appearances but also a representation of a loss of innocence. The illusory dreams of adolescence blind them to the harsh, dangerous world of maturity and this can be seen when Connie separates herself from the world of living under her mother’s wing and breaking through to the other side of sexual maturity and adulthood. Her blossoming sexuality elicits desire, but it also places her in great danger when Arnold Friend takes an interest in her.
This story deals with a terrifying reality young women faces in life, a situation of invasion, abduction, and probable rape and murder, which meets us in every morning’s headlines and every evening’s television news.
Hey Treshel, I agree that what makes this story so horrifying is not only how this story mirrors reality for young women but how Connie’s adolescence blinds her. Throughout the story, Connie views herself as mature and believes that she is ultimately in control when having romantic encounters with men. After meeting Eddie at the diner and getting in his car, she was not once wary of being alone with him in his car or the fact that she left her friend behind. For most young women, it is known to never let your friend leave with a random man, even if they appear to be non-threatening. However, Connie’s naiveté had clouded her judgment, and that decision led her to become trapped by Arnold. I like how you brought up that Connie’s blossoming sexual desire made her a target in the eyes of Arnold Friend because most men similar to Arnold see that as an opportunity to manipulate and groom young women into having relationships with them. This story is saddening because even though the behavior that both Arnold and Connie exhibit might be a bit exaggerated it is modeled after a similar situation that some young women face when entering into adulthood.
Treshel, sometimes with the horror of this story we can miss the sadness you mention. This is a loss of innocence that does not allow the character to grown and get beyond the epiphany. That she will be dead soon is a terrifying reality for te reader to face because when we see and know her, she is alive. I’m struck by your use of the word “invasion” because it is so apt. Even though Arnold Friend does not invade her house, he invades her mind and her very sense of personhood.
Treshel Arokium I agree with your statements like the loss of innocence. Many people pray on the innocent for them to take advantage or manipulating them. Arnold Friend was a great example of someone who sweet talks a girl just to get what they want. Also I agree with you that we hear this all the time in the news or social media.
The story “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” by Joyce Carole Oates has ample meanings and different interpretations and ended with a lot of questions. However, we can agree it is about a teenager named Connie who is at the stage of a rebellion, and whose parents are oblivious about what she does once she is outside the house. From my perspective, one key point that draws my attention is that this habit of always needing to reinforce the knowledge that she is beautiful is a suggestion that Connie is suffering from insecurity or having an “unstable sense of self”. As Korb states “ Connie’s identity stems from a rigid belief in physical beauty—“she knew she was pretty and that was everything”. Connie’s description of her beauty being “everything” can be interpreted to mean that she would feel worthless without her pretty face. This insecurity makes her entirely vulnerable to the will of others and is one of the things that ultimately leads her to run off with Arnold Friend at the end of the story, a dangerous grown man whose purpose for kidnapping Connie is not clearly stated, but can be inferred easily; Connie is beautiful, and therefore desirable, for all the wrong reasons. Connie’s insecurity about her self-worth also falls under the category of low self-esteem. I am not surprised about her ending because if she wasn’t that stubborn, she would go with her family to the barbecue then she would have been saved from that psychopath
Fatu, thanks for this wonderfully expressed post. You are so right that Connie’s whole sense of worth derives from physical beauty. To her, it is everything. She sees everything in this light. She imagines that her mother likes her better than June because she is beautiful. She feels that her mother is jealous of her. The first thought that enters her mind as the killer’s golden jalopy drives up the driveway is whether she looks all right. The story definitely comments on the absence of her parents as educators and protectors. Next week’s readings will focus more sharply on this concept of female beauty, and I think you will many similarities between those works and this story.
Fatu, I love the point you mentioned about physical beauty. This young girl thinks to herself that “she knew she was pretty and that was everything.” And as you mentioned this identity stems from a rigid belief in physical beauty. I think the conflict between Connie and her mother is a power struggle rooted in appearances and since Connie is the one who still has her good looks, she is the one with the power. Connie’s mature, seductive appearance when she’s out, is sort of costume that then attracts the strange, deeply deceptive Arnold Friend. Appearances can sometimes serve as a source of validation or power, they must not be relied upon, they can be deceiving, dangerous, and even fatal and this is Connie’s demise.
Hi Fatu, I agree with your point of view about physical beauty. From the start, Connie is noted for her physical beauty, and she believes that part of the source of friction between her and her mother is that her mother “hadn’t much reason any longer to look at her own face.” Connie, who knows that she is pretty, therefore feels a sort of superiority over both her mother and her “plain” sister, enjoying catching a glimpse of herself in mirrors with a nervous giggle. Connie uses her physical beauty to attract boys like Eddie, whom she meets at the drive-in. However, at the end of the story Connie realizes that the seductive appearance she created has put her in danger.
Hi Fatu, I agree with you. Connie is rebellious, stubborn, and vain. She is extremely concerned with her appearance, acts pretentious, likes to dress up to get boys’ attention, and she craves love and attention. She constantly dressed herself, which attracted Friend. Therefore, in order to control Connie’s mind, Friend constantly flattered her. Finally, Connie believed Friend, which led to the tragedy. If she hadn’t been so stubborn, none of this would have happened.
Reading Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates sadness me by low self awareness Connie has. But is it really her fault? From her parents not being to strict from letting her out, friends who always love going out and disgusting men trying to take advantage of innocent children anyone can be blamed in this situation. The story is a perfect way to show what happens everyday in the news from sweet talking men praying on innocent creatures to ultimate seeing unfortunate outcomes. I love how the author portrays Connie as a beautiful girl but in reality it can happen to anyone male, female, old, young it should remind us of staying vigilante and always being aware of incoming danger.
Brian, I completely agree with what you said but I feel like men should also be held more accountable for their actions, women are allowed to go out and have fun with their friends and that shouldn’t be an excuse for men to prey on them or make nasty remarks at them but I also agree that her parents should have been a bit more involved in their daughter’s life and see where she goes and what she actually does when they leave her with her friends, not in a way that invades her privacy but to protect her, they could’ve explained to her about the dangers of the world and have more open discussions about men and how to protect herself when she’s out with her friends.
Payshanti, I agree. Women should be allowed to go out and have fun and not be blamed if something bad happened to them. The men should be held accountable because that’s no excuse to harm a woman just because she’s out late, or what she’s wearing. I agree her parents should’ve talked to her more about how cruel and dangerous this world is and the people in it.
Brian, it’s great to hear from you. Yes, many people read this story as a cautionary tale for parents who do not educate their children about the dangers of the world. It’s not Connie’s fault that she has been brought up by this set of parents. Her mother nags her to death but never gives any advice or information about sex and boys. Her father is completely passive and disengaged, a bit like Bailey in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Please make sure your comments meet the length requirement. And don’t forget to post your essays!
Hi Brian Nivicela, I agree with your statement that you said, how her parents should have ask their daughters about their days and where are they go with friends. Also they should have tell them about unknown people who can be dangers and harmful.
Shapla, please make sure your comments meet the length requirements and do not just offer an agreement with someone. All comments should enlarge the conversation.
My initial thoughts at the beginning of the story were that Connie had the mindset of almost every young teenage girl, she was naive, vain, and lost in her own bubble thinking that all men were loving and romantic just as how they were portrayed in movies and songs. These traits are also what made her appear as an easy target for Arnold since he was much older and therefore had much more experience and wisdom when it comes to dealing with women, so he knew exactly what to say to her and how to get inside her mind. As the story goes along it becomes much more disturbing, the first incident between the two characters where Arnold glanced at Connie in the parking lot made me feel disgusted at his comment because you could clearly picture the lust in his eyes as he saw her as a beautiful object that he wanted to possess. The end of the story left me with a lot of unanswered questions, but I guess that was part of the “beauty” of this reading, it continuously left you wanting more and at the end it left you wondering what really took place and if some sort of miracle happened and saved Connie from this monster. I think it’s also ironic that Arnold’s last name was Friend, because people usually associate the word “friend” as someone whom we trust and consider safe but in reality he was just an obsessed pedophile.
Payshanti, I’m glad you mention the strangeness of Arnold Friend’s name. It is definitely verbal irony. In the Korb article, I think the critic also notes the similarity to “Arch Fiend,” which is a name for the devil. Connie’s name is also significant because she is the “connee”—the one who has been conned. I agree that Connie is like many teenage girls. It’s a developmental stage for young girls to be obsessed with their looks, so it’s doubly tragic to know that she will never live to outgrow this stage.
Hi Payshanti! I agree that the name Arnold Friend is very ironic. You would expect someone called a “friend” to be like you said someone you trust, can be safe with and be there when you need them but he was the exact opposite. He was a sexual predator and couldn’t be trusted. I honestly felt bad for Connie because she was innocent and her having the desire to experiment with boys played a part in it. She was very unaware of the possibly dangers she could come across.
After reading the short story ” Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carole Oates I felt disturbed and sad because this is what some people actually go through. Everyday young woman are being taken advantage of, raped and murdered. The saddest part is that it is not a fictional story it relates to the real world and what real people go through and struggle with. People are surrounded by bad influences and people that aren’t good for them. Which encourages making mistakes and hanging around the wrong crowd. It is important to be alert and aware of red flags and dont ignore them because they will catch up to you they always do and you could potentially avoid it if you see the red flags, if Connie seen the red flags maybe this could’ve been avoided.
Nefertaria, it’s good to hear from you. What about the Korb article? Do you find any of her interpretations particularly good? Also, please be in touch with me via email about your essays!
Hello Nefertaria, I do agree you said about hanging out with wrong crow or friend. Is does matters who you are hanging out with. And you are right that this happing in real life to and we need to be more alert about our surrounding too.
Shapla, please be sure your comments meet the length requirements and expand the conversation.
When I finished reading the short story “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” by Joyce Carole Oates I felt an immediate sense of discomfort. From my understanding from the beginning you can see that Connie is trying to put on a front that she is older than she is because she wants to be treated like an adult. From the clothes she where’s and the attention she wants to receive from boys. When she goes to the diner she is trying to keep keep all of this in her own control but when Arnold comes into the picture he is all the qualities of a predator and a rapist. Additionally as she is trying to continue her fantasy of pretending to be an adult Arnold quickly takes her out of this fantasy and makes it adulthood a reality where she is stuck with no help. Her search for escape from adolescent was brought to a very abrupt and disgusting end when she is killed by Arnold. All in all this short story brings to lights and depicts the very real problems women face in their lives.
Neil, I agree with you about the kind of timelessness of the story, even though we may imagine that we have changed a lot as a society. How about the Korb article? Did you find any of those interpretations valid?
That sense of discomfort you felt is also something I think we all felt knowing the fate Connie had been submitted to. I also agree that this is a real problem women face, however, I think this applies more so to all adolescents since these things happen to all genders, unfortunately.
Gabriel, please make sure your comments meet the length requirements.
Neil, I agree with you. It is scary what little girls in this society think of themselves and what they are taught. The example of Connie and her mother competing with each other makes Connie feel as if she should embody a sexual being to attack the admiration that her mother may get. Parents, not understanding the damage they cause when they ridicule and make children feel insecure then they need to find that validation from somewhere else. However, It would be ignorant to think that social media doesn’t add this element of insecurity. Parents can praise and acknowledge how amazing they are, but social media praise people who look and act a certain way, which inevitably makes individuals feel they must aspire to look a certain way to gain love, admiration, money, etc.
I agree with Neil, about how the main character of “Where are you going?” Connie is trying to get out of who she is especially how she looks, in order to have a different treatment from the people around her. After reading this short story you have this feeling of fear and discomfort, by the action of the characters and the imagery that was going on in the story. The fate that Connie had from the story makes me think about what others suffer in order to satisfy themselves or others.
My interpretation to the story initially followed more toward the interpretation that the story was something in between an inverted fairy tale, a sort of “tale of initiation”, and also had many similar elements that we talked about in “a good man is hard to find”. From reading the story I got the idea that the girl seemed like a Mathilde-like character in that she seemed shallow, and felt superior to her family (like Mathilde felt above her class). Both stories started with a similar start to a fairy tale, but end with a twist leading to the downfall of the attractive, young, ambitious but shallow female main character. The loss of innocence can’t be ignored as well, as the young 15-year-old girl seemed to have a romanticized view of what is ultimately a depraved environment full of suffering, the true American culture. Lastly, like the old lady from “a good man is hard to find”, I saw myself resenting Connie’s judgy, superficial nature, however in the face of a tragic situation, we see a side that is truly respectable. Connie gave her life and innocence in order to protect her family, and thus in her final moments showed that their is some good in her as their was in that old lady.
I loved your interpretation on how she romanticized a fairy tale from the environment she was in. Connie was indeed suffering and because of her suffering, her story ended up with suffering. She wasn’t valued and uplifted which lead to her demise of losing her life to a predator. These kinds of things happen everyday where young girls have no support to turn to because of their environment. Connie was vulnerable and you could tell by her behavior and interactions with others that she showed her weakness. Arnold could have been watching her for awhile and decided to finally make a move.
Regina, please be sure to address comments to others by name so we can all follow along.
Jonathan, thank you for addressing the week’s prompt so clearly. I like your reference to Mathilde in “The Necklace” in terms of the superficiality of Connie. But I have to stick up for Connie just a little because she’s a fifteen-year-old girl while Mathilde was a married, adult woman. With respect to Flannery O’Connor, I think she would have admired this story. I think there are a lot of similarities between Arnold Friend and the Misfit. I’m not sure their is much heroism in Connie; I feel as if Arnold Friend leaves her with no real choice but to do as he wants, but it’s nice that you are giving her that small credit.
my understanding of the story is that it is about a teenage girl, that have sadly suffered a terrible ending. At the beginning of the story is described to us about what she thinks, and what does she do, for many the description of her could feel familiar or relatable as it appears to be a “common” teenager life. At the start and almost at the mid-section of the story, when she started to go out with her friends it is mention that, “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home.” I found this quote really interesting as it completes well everything that we have read so far, during these parts I was thinking that Connie must have felt trap on her house as if she couldn’t do anything without been reproached or compared with her sister. Following this idea, is like she was a plain board during her time in the house, but when she was out, and there where no one to compare her or anything, that’s when the real her showed up. When she was out, she was free to be herself and act in her own way. This is what I was thinking while reading the story, I also believe that the author must have had a similar teenage life as this part of the story is well described and again, relatable. Regarding the ending, it was not mention if Arnold got to enter the house, at least I didn’t notice it, similarly it wasn’t mention if she got rape or not, of course it was clear the situation and what was going on. The description of the scene and what was going on made it clear that Arnold wanted to do stuff to her, harm her and probably kill her.
I have to mention that the author in my opinion got some sense of irony, as I just described that she felt trap on her home but felt free outside of it, the situation changed completely at the end, because now she feels protected inside the house and scared outside of it. Well, I guess is understandable to feel that way, after all there is a crazy man outside, ordering her to come or go outside, I just feel there was some bad irony there. Now I believe this is just a story, is like many others, some people in their perspective of the story came with ideas of supernatural beans, the devil, and a few other stuffs, calling it disturbing and scary or terrifying, but I did not feel that, it was just a normal story in which a horrible thing happened. (similar to “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and many others). For some reason it bothers me to read and or to hear that every time something bad happens it’s the devil’s fault or as someone wrote, “whether Arnold is, in fact, the devil.” Like I get the reason for it, but common people, the devil is supposedly God’s favorite son, a celestial bean, an Archangel with abilities far beyond any human could ever begging to understand, also the ruler of hell, like I don’t know, I feel it is really stupid to believe that this powerful bean will be chasing a 15 years old girl, like he must of have better things to do. The idea of Arnold been a vampire it kind of makes more sense, but how could he stand under the sun I wonder? Maybe he has a daylight ring like in the TV show, “TVD” that could make some sense as similar to the show, Arnold can’t get inside the house unless invited in. (I am using the logic of this person’s theory). Now I will say this, many used Arnold’s “ability” of knowing and or seen Connie’s family without him been there as a proof of him been supernatural, but now, have any thought that maybe, just maybe, he could be lying? Did anyone thought about that? I know some will say, “well he knew a lot about Connie, how do you explain that?” Well, he could of asked around to other people, like Connie’s friends, or the neighbors, today we only need to look for any person in social media and we would of have similar information, and I assure you there is no supernatural ability in that. Another thing to mention is something called, “The Science of deduction” we can believe that Arnold saw Connie’s parents packing thing and based on what kind of things they were packing he could have guessed or assume that it was about a barbecue. Also, the fat women part, America has about a 42.4 percentage of obesity rate, this means that Arnold got a 42.4 percentage rate of getting that lie right. Also, fat could range a lot, maybe the fat women was just a little over weight. Following this large range Arnold could have say something like, “oh and there is this guy with black color shoes” which I am sure many if not this entire class would of own one or two pair of black shoes. I am Making all of this points because I feel like some people didn’t thought rationally about this story, something bad happened to this fictional character and there is no higher purpose for something that terrible to happen, it’s just what the author wrote.
Now I know I wrote a lot, and criticized a lot too, but I have to mention something before I conclude the assignment, and thanks for anyone that have read this far. Why didn’t Connie run? Like she noticed that Arnold didn’t have much stability because of the boots, this factor was mention repeatedly at the end, she could have run, Arnold wouldn’t be able to catch her; she could have gone throw a back window go to a public place or into a neighbor house looking for help and protection. She could of fight him too, as mention before he didn’t have stability, “He almost fell. But, like a clever drunken man, he managed to catch his balance”, throwing him off should be easy, of course run afterwards, Arnold is still a crazy bad man.
ENG 201 Sec. 0527
Jon, I also was able to relate Connie’s youthful spirit to my teenage years and remember some of my own mistakes. Being older, I reflect on and appreciate the graces afforded to me in my youth that for others could have resulted unfavorably. I think you pointed out some very interesting dualities within Connie. It was an important factor to understand her mind a bit. Being able to relate to her as we were all fifteen at one point made her seem familiar and welcoming. It was easy for the reader to disregard her judgments as we all went through such phases in our lives. You pointed out a very clever irony within the story that puts together a very interesting concept. Connie felt that her mother was overbearing to the point she couldn’t wait to get out of the house. Being outside of the house allowed her to be free without the judgments or rules. In the end however, that freedom trapped her in an unfavorable situation where all she wanted was to be home with her family. I can agree that within this genre of writing there are similar situations, but I don’t think that the irony was “bad”, it has purpose. That irony mirrors the conflicting twists that a fable would have where the reader would conclude the lesson. I think stories like this illuminate raw emotions and describe the complexities within something very familiar. I am unsure how to connect your deductions in the second paragraph. Can you elaborate on the latter part of the second paragraph? I did, however, find the analysis of the story in the first half of your post to be very insightful.
Jon, thanks for your interesting thoughts on the story. I don’t think I ever thought of Arnold Friend as literally the devil but as a devil-like character in his evilness. Like the Misfit in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” he is psychologically shrewd and his victim is no match for him. When I read “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” I also wonder why Bailey try to run or at least shield John Wesley and tell him to run, but fear can be a very immobilizing emotion. Connie is so terrified she can’t dial the telephone, so it’s unlikely she could run. You make great observations about Connie’s duality. Her mother is also two-faced as we see in her dealings with her sisters. There is a lot of duality and deception in this story coming from any directions.
ENG 201 Sec. 0527
This story is one of the most chilling pieces I have ever read. I was at the edge of my seat, praying that Connie can escape this situation.
In this short story by Joyce Carol Oates, the reader goes on a warped psychological journey with the protagonist Connie. She is a fifteen year old teen going on daunting adventures with an older crowd. Connie exhibits behaviors like any normal rebellious teenger at the cusp of adulthood. As the story progresses the reader gets a sense of the character’s shallow, judgmental personality, which at times can seem inconsiderate, but overlooked by her charming beauty. It appears that she is exploring her identity as a woman and enjoying these small naive pleasures, that she feels her parents hold her back from having. It is noted that in the beginning, her mother appears to be over protective, relating to her beautiful daughter and pushing her to think differently and be different then she was. That is normal of any parent that desires a better future for their child. What is strange, is that at the same time Connie appears to be isolated from the rest of the family. She is the black sheep of her household. The mother always compares Connie to her older sister, who is described as plain in appearance. Even when her mother is on the phone, Connie is viewed and portrayed as disgraceful while the older sister is showered with praise. I think this is important because it somewhat excuses the behaviors of Connie, and has the reader explore the mental state of the protagonist and the nurturing her parents provide her. One interesting piece is the presence of her father. Throughout the story, the father had very little to say on any decisions or the upbringing of Connie. This may be so that the entity of a male figure within the story can be viewed as a warning or perhaps it would confuse the nature of the villain and take away the focus of the domineering male over the innocent Connie.
Arriving at the major conflict of the story a strange man named Arnold Friend appears at her house with another person who seems all out of sorts, named Eddie. He appeared to be just a normal creeper pursuing the heart of Connie. In this part of the story the reader witnesses the horror as Arnold slowly creeps his way into Connie’s mind, psychologically tormenting her to fulfill his perverse desires. Connie being innocent of mind and unknowing of the situation does the best she can to piece together the intent of the visitor. Slowly Connie’s eyes are opened to the truth and realizes that Arnold wishes to have his way with her. Faced with the decision to be murdered on the spot or raped and perhaps murdered afterwards Connie is hopeless. It is a very visceral and painful part in the story when Connie cries for her mother and chooses to go with the man hoping to be saved as she does what she can to survive the ordeal. This story has an immense amount of tension as it is a scenario many dread to be it but know it can happen in reality.
When reading this short story I could not help but to mark the resemblance to Flannery O’Connor’s, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. Like the Grandmother of this story, Connie has a perception of the world around her that makes her ignorant to the truth. Both characters exhibited this ignorance despite the understanding of the situation they were in. In one circumstance, the grandmother stating the Misfit him is a good man, while in the other, Connie leaves with Arnold Friend hoping her mother can save her when the reality is the mother won’t even know what happened. The mother may return home to see Connie not present and wonder what shenanigans her troublesome daughter is up to. There is a difference between the villains however, Arnold Friend is portrayed to be this genteel, kind individual when in fact his name is a misfit in itself. The Misfit however lives with the obvious moniker and is true to his nature.
One can say that the story sends a message of the conflict between the domineering nature of man and women relinquishing their independence. One can also state that it is a lesson to be better parents. Both of these conclusions are entirely plausible, but I believe that the message speaks more so of self awareness, and not regarding things taken at face value as the truth. There is a quote form a television series called “The Game of Thrones”, where the Red Lady, “a follower of the light” says, “the night is dark and full of terrors”. This quote speaks volumes regarding the conclusion of the story and how some sheep can be wolves underneath.
Juan, I agree that the story is truly terrifying. The author’s description of fear is so vivid, and what is most terrifying to me is how Connie’s entire sense of identity and reality is taken away by Arnold Friend. I appreciate your references to “a Good Man Is Hard to Find.” I think that the Misfit and Arnold Friend have a lot in common. They are both manipulators. They have sidekicks willing to follow them. They are both psychologically astute and have a clear sense of who their victims are. And yes, Arnold Friend’s name is definitely a misfit, as you say.
I agree with Juan, about the way that the main character of “Where are you going?” Connie losing her identity by Arnold. The vivid imagery throughout the story also makes the readers have a catharsis feeling of scared and discomfort about what was going how in the story. Arnold Friend in the story is shown as a manipulator aka the devil by the way he was trying to manipulate Connie. The story of Connie and what happened to her has happened to many girls in reality by getting played by men.
When I was reading the story I felt sed and scared at the same. The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carole Oates. How a young girl facing horrible times in her life. This not only happened to her, in reality this happen to may young girl in reality nowadays. There are young girls like Connie, who flaunt about their beauty but they are not aware of the section that she faced. Also, I like the fact that the author is giving us massages about honeyed word man who bother girls like that.
Shapla, please be sure your comments meet the length requirement and address the questions in the prompt. Do any of Korb’s interpretations of the story ring true for you?
After reading “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates I think she may have been dreaming. Connie has two personalities. She refuses to play the roles of daughter, sister, and “sweet” girl to develop her sexual identity, which thrives only while she is away from home and relatives. Shes immature and values appearances; she holds others to these superficial expectations and judges them based on what she sees on the surface. Connie’s fantasy starts as she decides to join her family’s party and instead spends her time at home sunbathing and fantasizing about romance and the boys she has seen. The narrator tells us that Connie sat in the sun with her eyes shut, daydreaming, implying that Connie may have fallen asleep. The narrator also notes that she had no idea where she was when she opened her eyes. Throughout reading the novel, Connie loses track of where she is, for example, her kitchen and neighborhood. Arnold told Connie, “Gonna get you, baby,” when they were out at a diner. It could be that she was afraid of him and was dreaming of the encounter, thus the dream. A person’s dreams are frequently what they were dreaming about throughout the day or something that was continually in their minds. Another sign that this is a dream is Arnold’s knowledge of Connie’s friends and relatives. And then the narrator mentions Connie watches herself as she prepares to depart with Arnold. You cant visibly see yourself without a mirror or she had an out-of-body experience during the dream.
Khadijah, I think it’s nice to think that Connie is dreaming and is never really kidnapped, raped, and murdered. And yes, she does daydream a lot. In fact, she lulls herself into a kind of trance on that hot sunny day. Joyce Carol Oates, however, commented about the movie made of this story, saying that Hollywood apparently couldn’t deal with the ending as she wrote it. In the movie, Connie returns home and is kind to her sister. In the story Oates wrote, we know that Connie will never come home again.
The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” written by JOyce Carol Oates presents an unsettling and surreal story about fifteen-year-old Connie. Connie is navigating through her teenage years and soon becoming an adult. With that being said, she tries her hardest to gain independence and control over her life decisions and explores her sexuality by flirting with boys. It’s clear that she’s trying to grow up fast and have a more mature persona. This eventually stabs her in the back. Arnold Friend takes away her personal control when he manipulates her. He exploited her desire to experiment with boys sexually by engaging in what seemed to be harmless flirting at first but ended up being something more. Her growing sexuality is a source of social power but it is also a point of weakness. Connie is very vulnerable to having any type of sexual relations with a guy that she ignores the obivent dangers of a person. It’s kind of ironic that her independence and control was taken once she had an interaction with Arnold. He took advantage of her, controlling her and when she realized she was in trouble she needed someone there to help her.
After reading the story “Where are you going , Where have you been?” by Joyce Oates, I felt sad about Connie because of what happened to her and that the issue of rape and murder is still going on in this world today. Sadly this is an example of a older man raping a younger girl, then murdering her. This short story is based on many true stories that happen in the real world daily. Connie was a typical teenage girl who wanted to act like she was older because she believes the real fun is when you are older and not a child. So, she starts to lie about her age and prefers to talk to older boys. This was very unfortunate for Connie because she is the perfect type of victim for Arnold as he is an older guy that can control her mind since she is still fantasizing about a perfect life. Her believing that she is an adult is what makes it easy for Arnold. Arnold is possibly a experienced person in this situations and knows how to take advantage of little girls. This is an issue that is being dealt with by women all around the world every day.
Alexsander, this is a good take on the story. I’m wondering how you feel about Korb’s various interpretations?
Reading “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” by Joyce Carole Oates has different interpretations depending on the person, but I was afraid. This story is about a dressy detached house with a long driveway in the suburbs, and on weekends, it is thoroughly drawn, such as being taken to a shopping mall by car, and a strange person appears in the real world. I know if Arnold Friend is a demon or a human with evil intent. But do wicked humans exist in our daily lives? How is everyday wickedness different from fantasy wickedness? In this way, the actual world began to fluctuate little by little, and I was afraid that the real world was not real. Connie is distrustful of him, wondering if Arnold is human, with several depictions that his feet do not fit his boots, but he has gradually placed. The situation is confusing, and his judgment is dull. When people feel scared, I thought that people would want to get out of this situation and could not make the right decision. In the end, Connie’s reality is obscured by fear, but Connie does not know where to go.
I have to admit that the article of Rena Korb helps me to understand better the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. I found the different interpretations in Korb’s article very accurate because this disturbing story could have a weird combination of all of them. Is funny that without a proper parenting guide, at the age of fifteen Connie thinks that she is ready for the world and she knows everything about it. Connie loves having the attention of others since she is obsessed with appearance. On the other hand, as an adult, Arnold Friend knows exactly how to manipulate a teenager that is seeking to be noticed. He pretends to be younger in order to gain Connie’s trust to later reveal his evil intentions. My heartbreaking moment was when Connie covers her ears after listening to what Arnold wants to do to her. In that instant she realizes her young innocent, she was afraid of been unprotected, and probably regretting meeting that person.
Kenia, I’m so glad the Korb article was illuminating for you. Judging from some responses in this week’s discussion, I’m not convinced that everyone read the article. I think you’re right that the interpretations are not mutually exclusive; several of Korb’s ideas can work simultaneously.
When I first began reading the story “Where are you going, Where have you been” I believed that this story would be about a beautiful young girl who disliked her family because they did not give her the attention they gave her sister or the attention she believed she deserved. However the more into the story I read the more disturbing the story became. The young girl Connie so desperate for attention got herself into a situation she could not escape. She ignored obvious signs and was not aware of her surroundings. It is my thoughts that she got herself involved with a predator who had plans to kidnap her since he first saw her. The psychological elements in this story can also apply in real life. Woman must constantly be aware of their surroundings and have their guard up no matter what. This story was very difficult for me to finish because of how real it felt. The same situation Connie was in is the same situation countless girls are in everyday.
Chayadevi, what you write here is certainly true. Which of the interpretations offered by Korb in the literary critique rings most true for you?
When I read the story “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” by Jocy Carole Oates I was in shock. But at the same time you get a sense of where the story might lead. For starters seeing how her emotions were portrayed, she clearly was someone who wasn’t contempt with the household she was living in, felt pressured by her mother for being herself. She sought some sort of freedom or reassurance in life that she would eventually regret because of an event. And that’s what happened, the man was messing with her mentally, and it’s sad to see things like that because it happens in real life as well. Her perception of happiness and life in general just change when Arnold harasses her. I think at that point she just accepts her own reality of things, which is nothingness in a way, but realized what’ll happen when she leaves with Arnold. It’s hard to explain the perspective I see it in.
Manuel, I appreciate your response, but I’m wondering how you feel about the interpretations put forth in the Korb article?
ENG 201 0534 – In Korbs overview of ” Where are you going, Where have you been” she speaks about the various interpretations of this story. Oates writes in the beginning of the story that everything about Connie has two sides to it, but as I kept reading I was seeing how it was not just Connie who had two sides but many things in this story had to sides. I related to what Korbs described as the inverted fairy tail where Connie dreams about a Prince Charming but instead meets the Prince of Darkness. In the interpretation I see, the story is riddled with religious symbolism where Arnold Friend that can be seen as the symbol of the devil and his traits, as referred to in the Christian Bible. Arnold himself tells us in the story that he writes in code because his written numbers in code on his car. So in looking at his name Arnold Friend we can see that if you leave out a few letters from his name you get “Arch Fiend” I looked up what this meant and the definition of Arch Fiend according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is 1a : devil sense 1. b : demon. c : a person of great wickedness or maliciousness.
This sounds about right to me because its exactly the feeling I got about Arnold Friend the minute that’s exactly the feeling I got when he was introduced to the story. Another thought about the name is if you remove two R’s you get “An Old Fiend.” Also about the name, when he introduces himself he says ” my name is Arnold Friend and that’s my real name,” who says that, unless they are lying. Also the fact that he chose Friend is because he is a pedaphile lurking on minors so the name friend is a convenient reinforcement of his disquise. There are many other references between Friend and things attributed to evil whether they be physical or mental symbolism. Arnolds, long, hawk-like nose, slippery smile, the fact that in speaking to Connie he had put her not only in a state of pure terror but also in a trance like state luring her to do what he willed. Also, the way he supernaturally knew what the family was doing is a biggy. (Connee, the one who was being conned) loved music and it followed her everywhere. She compares it at one point in the story to church music. In the Christian belief, the devil is the Fallen Angel of Music. Arnold used the music to find a similarity he could build on in that driveway. I was intrigued about how Oates was able to use all this religious symbolism so I researched a few things I found amazing though not in a good way. I wondered about the symbolism in the three specific things Arnold pointed to on his car. Here is what I found other readers have shared in https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Biblical-Allusion-in-Joyce-Carol-Oates-Story-PKCMQ4XYVJ “Done by crazy woman driver” is something that would make him seem funny and make a child laugh, just as Connie laughed. About the phrase painted on the car in code is MAN THE FLYING SAUCERS. In the story “It was an expression kids had used the year before but didn’t use this year. She looked at it for a while as if the words meant something to her that she did not yet know.” The phrase can be decoded to spell out “HE —– ——-” I will let you decode it as I don’t even want to write is here but it is the two names by which the devil goes by in the bible. There are too many references here for me to deny the inverted fairy tale view but lastly are the numbers on the car that Arnold tells Connie are code. 33 – 19 -17 …they are code for biblical scripture Judges is the 33rd book of the bible…chapter 19 verse 17says this in the New International Version:
“When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?” Really, …this blew me away!
Wow, Janine, your research is blowing me away! I was not aware of some of these allusions you mention here, especially the last one about the biblical quote. I do think Oates was fully aware of what she was doing with these many references to the devil, to the names, and numbers in the story. Connie is significant as a name, as well, as she is conned by An Old Fiend. Thank you for sharing your research!
I believe that the different interpretative points of view that Rena Korb discussed on this story are valid because it is a short story that is full of underlying meanings and themes. On the surface, it’s a story about a girl having a weird conversation with a stranger at her front door, but going deeper themes of freedom and independence pop up. Most teenage girls go through phases where being naive and self-centered is part of growing up. Joyce Carol Oates’ short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” shows that menace is still lurking around teenage girls’ innocence. As Korb writes, “Oates mirrors reality in this terrifying portrayal, stinting only on the physical details while deftly exploring Connie’s mental terror.” Teenage girls in today’s world are still being sexually targeted and are therefore in a path of troubles. I believe Oates’ short story can teach young teenage girls to be aware of predators like Arnold Friend who generate a boyish persona to flatter girls which most teenage girls recognize it as attraction. This is a really creepy little story about the duality of the teenaged mind and the vulnerability that comes along with that. So much tension is excellently built up over the course of the plot, and so much is told about in Connie that her seemingly illogical actions make sense. Because of her yearning for freedom, she makes a pivotal decision that we never find out the outcome for, but one can only assume she’s just put herself into a really bad situation. Again, this is a story about the teenaged mind and how easily it can be taken advantage of.
Hey Altynai, your interpretation was amazing honestly. I didn’t really think much of the nuances of how the teenage mind can be manipulated and how it was represented throughout the short story. I would also add the story also shows how people can do so. Arnold attempted to charm Connie until he didn’t have to, leaving her with choices that no matter what she lost her freedom. Your part about how teenage girls are being sexually targeted makes a lot of sense but the story was written 1966 so its honestly crazy to me how it still has so much relevance today.
Altynai, i think your response to the question in really insightful. I don’t believe Korb talks about how Connie’s is taken innocence and ignorance of the world is taken advantage of. Connie is in a big world in a small town and she probably thinks that everything is nice and quiet because shes never seen anything else or the horrors the world can truly bring. The duality of the teenage mind, you spoke of, is really interesting as well. The fight for freedom without actually knowing what freedom brings is something that i think a lot of people can relate to.
Altynai, thank you for this thoughtful post and especially for including quotes from the Korb article. The idea of the story as a portrayal of innocence confronted with evil is very well illustrated in the story, while at the same time, it can be read as a cautionary tale for both adolescents and their parents.
Hello Altyani,
I like all the points you make here in your post for this week. The sad thing is that as you mention, teenage girls are still being sexually targeted and in a path of troubles. Unfortunately, I feel a lot of this is due to what is taught or not taught in the home. I don’t know if its because crimes normally didn’t happen in her neighborhood, if her parents never had that famous “stranger danger” talk with her or if she simply just made a dumb mistake but it was not her fault as she was just a child. I was reading the story basically begging Connie to stop talking and go back into the house and call the police before Arnold even got o the screen. As you mention the sad thing is this is a story that is still happening today to teenagers who are missing or found murdered by “Friends,” male and female alike all over the would. I liked your insightful comment.
The beginning of “Where are you going, Where have you been” definitely had me confused for the most part but when I had a complete realization on what the story was about, it definitely shook me to the core. Even while reading the analysis’ I realized more things about the story that weren’t overtly visible to me during my read. For example there was an interpretation of the story as an inverted fairy tale. I completely agree with this analysis and it is probably the one that makes the most sense. The way Arnold friend sees himself as a prince rescuing his princess is made obvious throughout the story. But he isn’t there to “save” her and there isn’t a happy ending but rather more sinister one is implied. The overview by Rena Korb better explains the inverted fairy tale as Connie not being joined by Prince Charming but rather the Devil of Darkness. Connie even going with Arnold Friend represents a loss of self, freedom, and innocence. I understand the story mostly as an inverted fairy tale mostly because of the aforementioned reasons listed above. Without a doubt Arnold sees himself as not evil at least, probably even good, he believes himself to be going to take care of Connie.
Hey Kadeem, I agree that the overview by Rena Korb gives a good explanation about the story being an Inverted fairytale. In the story, from Connies view and how I interpret it to match a fairytale, she’s the princess locked up and held back by her parents as she describes how she argues with them and her mom is fond of her because she’s the pretty sister (as to why her mom argues with her). Then, Arnold Fiend comes and saves the day, however, this isn’t the case. Her cockiness, beliefs of beauty and seeing how she acts ultimately lead to her demise.
“Where Are You Going, Have You Been” by Jocy Carole Oates details the unfortunate happenings to a woman named Connie when she has an unfortunate encounter with Arnold Friend. To my understanding of this story, it seems to be a common cautionary tale told to everyone when they’re younger albeit in a less psychologically impacting way. Aside from that, it’s also a warning to parents who are a bit carefree and don’t pay attention to those around their children.
Gabriel, please be sure your posts meet the length requirement and address the prompt. Do any of Korb’s interpretations ring a bell for you?
This is was interesting reading but I will admit, it gave me anxiety while reading it. My understanding of “Where are you going, here have you been” is central to the theme of acknowledging inevitable death. I might be off, but as I was reading, especially at the beginning of the climax, Connie subconsciously acknowledges what will happen to her but fights it. As she is starting to understand what the man’s intent was, she realizes her safety is in jeopardy as she starts to tell them to go away. When she is exhibiting fear she loses sense and recognition of her space. Any resource she thinks of that may help her because intangible. I also think that there is a level of internal conflict that the narrator brings through Connie. While she does not want to go with the man, but she acknowledges that she has no other choice while she fights to find help but also fights to not give in.
Megan, yes, the story is definitely anxiety producing. I’m wondering if you have any response to some of the interpretations put forth by Korb in her literary critique about the story?
After reading “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Rena Korb I happen to notice the kind of a person Connie is who portrayed as the superficial behavior typical of a teenage girl facing the difficult transition from girlhood to womanhood. She is caught between her roles as a daughter, friend, sister, and object of sexual desire. In which she feels confused in who she actually wants to represent as her true self like it states, “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home.” Throughout the story I notice the theme of identity and the Search for Self Connie is vulnerable to Arnold Friend’s manipulations because she has no clear identity of her own. Connie tries to establish her identity by testing the boundaries her parents set for her, assuming a different persona at home, then she does with her friends. Connie seeks validation of her attractiveness from the boys at the drive-in restaurant. Connie identifies her worth as a person with her physical beauty, a factor that causes her to disparage her sister, and fight with her mother.
ENG 0527
After reading “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, I think Connie’s tragic fate is caused by her rebellious, narcissistic and vain personality. She tried to break away from the family that symbolized tradition and order. Moreover, she is extremely concerned with her appearance, acts pretentious, likes to dress up to attract the attention of boys, and is full of wild daydreams. Her life was in an empty, dreamy, unreal state of mind. Her own character flaws are the root of all evil. Her emotional loss is mainly manifested in the lack of love, she is very eager to get love and attention. Therefore, in order to control Connie’s mind, Friend flattered Connie to be the real beauty. Connie refuses to go out with Friend, but he gets what he wants by threatening her and constantly brainwashing her. Connie finally embraced a glimmer of hope to follow Friend, but she did not know that she chose a friend, but the devil. Living in a society that advocates hedonism, Connie could not get the care and correct guidance from her family. She gradually lost herself in the rich material life, and her spiritual world was extremely poor, which finally led to the tragedy.
Hongbin, these are very good observations about the story. However, the prompt for this week asks students to address interpretations by Korb in the literary article.
Hongbin I really liked the reason you gave for why her fate was led by ” rebellious, narcistic and vain personality.” those are definitely good reasons why that happened to her. i liked how you said ‘Her life was in an empty, dreamy, unreal state of mind. Her own character flaws are the root of all evil. Her emotional loss is mainly manifested in the lack of love’. this wasn’t something i seen at first but as i read a second time that is true.
ENG 201 (0527) the short story “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” by Jocy Carole Oates, had many vivid imageries that made me feel what the character of the story was feeling, because of the irony and imagery of the story caused much emotion as sad and also scared. Throughout the story, Connie views herself as mature and believes that she is ultimately in control when having romantic encounters with men. After meeting Eddie at the diner and getting in his car, she was not once wary of being alone with him in his car or the fact that she left her friend behind. For most young women, it is known to never let your friend leave with a random man, even if they appear to be non-threatening. However, Connie had clouded her judgment, and that decision led her to become trapped by Arnold. Reading the story is showing the reality of what’s going on in a horror way that causes a catharsis feeling.
Maryam, I am going to say what I have said to so many others. Is there one particular interpretation put forth by Korb in the literary article assigned this week that rings true for you?
“Where are you going, Where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates shows us many interpretations for this story. In the story, there are lessons from bad parenting to bad influential friends and even rivalry between siblings. I believe the main take of this short story is the Inverted fairy tale. This story vividly depicts the innocence of children and how curious and hopeful we are to see things from the perspective of adventure and simplicity but we soon learn that there becomes more complicated when we analyze it and put our innocence aside. This tragic story depicted a young girl who was trying to enjoy her childhood and believed that her first love experiences were going to be normal and adventurous like a tv drama. Unfortunately, she was robbed of those experiences and forced into a horrific experience because of a predator that developed a sick infatuation for Connie and her life thus crushing all her hopes and killing her desire for adventure. This story gives a wide lesson that shows the importance of the relationships between parents and children and the friends that surround them, could Connie be safe if she had not gone outside that day or if she simply joyned her family to the party?. This can’t be answered because the story was written in a particular way to have a particular ending, although as I read this story I believe the outcome would have been different if the relationship with the parents were better and were more connected as a family. This story is completely polar to “A Rose for Emely” by William Faulkner where Emily was robbed of those adventures for her protection and selfishness of her father in the contrary Connie was given that freedom and tragically got to experience the worse of it. Both of this story shows that parenting can be the gateway for a child’s good or bad adventure.
Hi Junior, I chose to reply to your comment because I like that you comment on the fact that this tragedy was not Connie’s fault. Connie was just being a silly teenager and at her age that includes, daydreaming, fantasizing, rebellion, and rejection in a sense that nobody (especially adults) understands them, etc. Oates does a good job at showing that not only is Connie a silly teenager but she comes from a family that is disconnected, so she is getting no support in in her formative years. Korb mentions in the paper “Connie’ s parents, though they appear quite typical, provide no moral guidance. Her mother is not really concerned with Connie’s habits and lifestyle but argues with her daughter “over something of little value to either of them.” Connie’s older sister and father might have well been non-existent in this story. No one asked “Where are you going?” or “Where have you been?” She was naive and this is why Arnold Friend, the very representation of evil was able to do what he did to her. Naive yes, cause of her own demise no, I’m glad I am able to agree with you on that.
In the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, by Joyce Carole Oates, a young girl by the name of Connie is harassed and eventually abducted from her home, after a man by the name Arnold friend comes to see her. On the surface this story is very blunt, Arnold is a deceitful and manipulative man who is trying to abduct,rape, and mostly likely murder Connie. As you look deeper, you can see, as Korb pointed out, many references and uses of supernatural appearances. On many occasions it seems almost like the author is trying to hint that Arnold Friend and is companion are in fact not of this world. The two seem to “almost” fit as people but upon closer inspection it looks as if they are wearing poorly made masks, use only slightly outdated phrases, speak in tones that just don’t quite sound right and possess so much information it seems uncanny for someone Connie has never even seen before. All this considered, my understanding of the story is a cautionary tale to young women of the dangers that can lurk for them in society and are amplified by the fear of extra terrestrials that was rampant in the 1950’s. I would even go as far as to say that the author may have written this story as a statement that girls should not be afraid of the aliens they hear about on the radio but the men and boys that “chase them around” (both metaphorically and literally).
SECTION (1209)
My understanding of this story, “Where are you going, Where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is an intense tale that portrays the reality of child abuse and the psychological components of adolescence. As I was reading the story, I automatically assumed that Connie who is a 15-year-old character might have been having hard times dealing with the bad parenthood from both her mother and father. And so, in search of truth or perhaps to escape reality, the narrator, Oates intended to write on how ignorance from parents can disruptively affect a child’s cognizance. Yet, my interpretation and assumption of the story went wrong, halfway. The plot of the story got me when Arnold drove to her house quite suspiciously. Yes, this character of the guy is very creepy from how the story introduces him when he comes up to Connie and starts an uncanny conversation at the restaurant. However, the very attention-seeking event when he drives to her house having all the details on her definitely is something that everyone would back up. But Connie was not aware of this type of horrifying and brutal reality. She did not know how cunning criminal factors exist to victimize innocence. And yes, this part shows a lack of responsibility, poor parenthood, and how unbothered her parents were by not taking her with them. But I do not completely blame her parents because my other contemplation of the story is that Connie was not easily manipulated by the man’s bad intentions. She refused to go in the car several times until he threatened to harm her parents. And this shows that she was aware of how one must tackle a “stranger danger” situation. This also reflects the victim’s emotional factor and the battle between love for her parents which generated fear in her. On the other hand, Arnold’s mere intention was to sexually abuse Connie and murder her to suppress the truth similar to how a rapist and murderer in today’s world commit their crime. This is a sad reality of how children or an adolescent are auspiciously victimized because of their innocence.
I wish I was able to respond to this post sooner. This was a great story to read. As I read the story I felt creeped out and had this airy feeling as Arnold interacted with Connie from the beginning of the story and to the end. But the most important thing I was able to grasp about this story is the irony and my interpretation is that it is an inverted fairy tale. Connie is a very fragile teen and this is because of how her mother and her environment at home has broken her down. Its very interesting because it’s almost as if Connie has two personalities; herself and the Connie that escapes (someone else). We see that Connie escapes before her family disappears. I believe that Arnold is indeed the evil and demonic force in Connie’s life that is trying to pull her away but it is also someone she creates in her subconscious. I also believe that Connie is still on that lawn in her back porch but she has lost all sense of reality. Connie is described as a beautiful girl who’s desire is to be loved and accepted. Through her weakness she attracts Arnold who indeed could be a predator but is also someone she ended up daydreaming about. In fairy tales, everything is supposed to feel safe and perfect but in this story it’s inverted because Connie imagines what she would like to be told and how she would like to feel by a boy at the cost of being harmed. There’s no good ending in this fairy tale. Rena Korber mentions in her overview of ‘Where Are You Goin, Have You Been”, Connie is “suffering, not from a malicious desire to be cruel, but merely from romantic delusions in her search for a “sweet, gentle love the way it was in movies and promised in songs.” As she’s daydreaming, I feel she daydreamed Arnold into her own head and her reality became distorted. I believe she was so bad demoralized and verbally abused she created a space to escape and be free at all costs.
Hi Regina, I like that you chose the inverted fairy tale from the interpretations that Rena Korb mentioned in her overview article of the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. I agree with your comment that there is no good ending in Connie’s fairy tale because instead of an insignificant frog transforming into her prince, her daydream prince charming becomes an evil creature that ended up raping and killing her.
In this poem there was a lot about being temporary. The way I saw the story was about a serial killer who had killed three people before he was caught. The killer first comes off as being a friend and wanting to party and have a good time and later on reveals her true colors. I see this story as a feminist allegory. I have a sister and as she gets older this is something that I would like to tell her because you can’t really trust anyone. People are two faced and you can’t really trust people who come off as friendly. In the analysis that was posted they say how Oates emphasizes the duplicity of identity and I agree with this. I also see this story as a feminist allegory because its sad to say but this is more common than you think. This is how I see the story and this is why you should always be careful.
Mark, this is not a poem.
I think many of us females can imagine ourselves in Connie’s shoes. This story is about the evil dangers that we face as young women in America. This piece is inspired by real events that took place and these horrible tragedies continue to happen everyday, all around us, whether we are aware of it or not. Joyce Carol Oates paints a real picture of the chronicles of life in twentieth-century America. She states “I wish the world were a prettier place, but I wouldn’t be honest as a writer if I ignored the actual conditions around me.” I believe Connie was naive but at the same time she isn’t at fault for what’s about to happen, she doesn’t deserve it, and I don’t see how she could have stopped his ill intentions. Even the safety of her house was not able to protect her from this man’s evil powers. What happens to Connie next is not described and sadly we as readers are left hanging thinking about the horrors she is yet to endure.
Sandra, your comments are well taken, but which interpretation mentioned in the Korb article strikes you as most compelling?
In my opinion, I concur that the character Connie faces various challenges. From my understanding, I would reside with the idea of self-insecurity presented by the main character Connie. For instance, she conveys several challenges with her family and her social life, presenting a primary foundation of psychoanalytical criticism. Connie’s habit of frequently confirming whether she is beautiful in the mirror to encourage herself to retain her beauty portrays her sufferings from self-insecurity or portraying an unsteady sense of self (Oates). Connie’s illustration of her beauty, meaning everything, can be interpreted to imply that she would believe that she is unworthy without her beauty. Such insecurity makes her more vulnerable in the presence of others who think she is not pretty. Generally, Connie is beautiful and hence desirable for the wrong deeds. Connie’s perception of insecurity towards her self-worth lies under the group of low-self–esteem. Low self-esteem implies that one believes in being less worthy than other individuals are. One not worthy about such psychological disorder is that it leads the sufferer to believe that they deserve whatever results they obtain. As Connie lies in the low self-esteem group, it is practical that she has similar feelings about her life. Furthermore, Connie’s distorted relationship with her family members portrays that she has adapted and accepted the reality of her being accountable for her fate. While Connie, the primary character, faced several psychological challenges, she meets the eventual reality portrayed in her insecurity, fear of intimacy, and low self-esteem.
Norma, your observations are good, but what are you feelings about the interpretations mentioned in the literary critique by Rena Korb?
From reading “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, I was left with an unsettling feeling but also a thought that this happens day to day. From reading the article, I agree that this is an inverted fairytale as at first the story seems to have the storyline of this girl feels she’s living an unfair life due to her parents (since the story is from Connies perspective) and a prince comes to save her which is almost every princess fairytales storyline, however, the story takes a turn once the audience realizes Arnold isn’t actually a prince to come save her. I would also like to say that this story can also be a life lesson. I say this because through out the story the big picture that you can’t trust everyone you meet is presented. It is shown when Arnold Fiend appears at her house and tries to lure her outside. How did she know where she lived? When they started talking, how did he know so much about her family? That she was home alone? Her friends? All these questions are big red flags that Connie at first isn’t worried about and may have taken as flirtatious but once she realizes that he’s not that age he says he is, now she’s worried? Due to these events, I believe the story should be considered a lesson to always watch who’s around and don’t be blinded by sweet words people say.
Korb continues to describe Connie as a shallow, naïve teen. There is a ton of allusion to Arnold being the devil, or somehow linked to his power. Here we see how he uses his persuasive powers of manipulation against Connie. Before she is physically trapped, he traps her mentally. All too many times this happens in real life when people who suffer from low self-esteem, or shallow values, are met by a master manipulator. Far too often these people such as Connie fall victim to Arnolds. Oates does a good job of painting a dance between Arnold and Connie. As the layers of Arnold’s façade start to peel away, Connie falls deeper into the layers of his pit. Arnold has done this dance many times before and unfortunately for Connie, she is too novice to defend his advances properly.
Anthony, I agree with where you said “Before she is physically trapped, he traps her mentally. All too many times this happens in real life.” Because that is what makes this story so haunting. While it’s easy to frown upon Connies superficial view of the world, it’s easy to forget she is also a teenager who probably is so focused on her looks because she is self conscious and doesn’t have people in her life that reassure her of her worth, so she searches for that in men which sadly in the end would lead to her demise. I feel so strongly that while this story is so disturbing, it is so important in the conversation of feminism, because it is so raw and a haunting reflection of real life.
In the short story “Where are you going, where are you?” by Joyce Carroll Oates tells about a teenager named Connie who met a stranger named Arnold and was deceived and manipulated by him, this cause the tragedy of Connie’s enslavement. In the story, Connie is a person obsessed with her looks and longing for men. She likes to seduce men with her own looks, but she doesn’t care about men’s character. Connie’s actions caught Arnold’s attention. Arnold is a person who does not respect women. Arnold took advantage of Connie’s longing for a man’s weakness to attract Connie’s attention, and later tried to manipulate Connie to make her obedient. Arnold’s actions caused Connie’s fear, she tried to get rid of Arnold by calling the police, but Arnold used Connie’s family to threaten Connie. Finally, under Arnold’s intimidation and manipulation, Connie gave up resistance and obeyed Arnold’s arrangement.
Sihang, what you write is true; however, what is your response to the ideas in the Korb article?
After reading “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, I strongly feel that this story is that of an inverted fairy tale. Connie, like many young girls greatly values her appearance, which I feel is a product of society’s view on women who throughout time have been treated like objects meant to cater to the male gaze. I can infer from the text that Connie is not particularly close with her parents and perhaps that lack of love and validation has led her to find that elsewhere. In this case, it would be in a prince charming that she would spend the rest of her days with like in the movies. This fantasy she has in her head has clouded her vision, and she is now viewing the world through rose tinted glasses, making it harder for her to see through the lies and deceit of this man that is obviously after her with malicious intent. Something I find particularly disturbing is how towards the end, she slowly starts to see through his disguise because it was only then that she realized this man was not her prince charming and that this wasn’t a fairy tale, rather he was a stranger that had taken advantage of this fantasy of hers, turning her life into a horrifying inverted fairy tale.
Arnold Friend is such a gross character and I felt angry while reading the story and how he spoke. He was stalking Connie because he somehow knew about the location of her family’s whereabouts. I felt so sorry that Arnold was able to manipulate Connie in the way he did. It all surprises me because I imagine if I were in such a position, I would’ve not tolerated a word of what he was saying and I would’ve called the police, despite how he tried to instill fear into Connie and make her feel like she has to do what he says or else. Unfortunately, Connie is young and naive, and this was all a first for her. I just think about how her mother was always concerned about the wrong things and criticizing Connie instead of trying to build strength and awareness into Connie about situations like this and how she failed to protect Connie in a way (including her father who was not there for her either).
There was a part of the story where it described Connie disassociating from her own body as it seemed she was “walking into the abyss” or toward Arnold. This an example of psychological realism that Rena Korb talks about in her article “An overview of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”
After reading the story “Where Are You Going, Have You Been” written by Jocy Carole Oates, I felt this story shows a true-life perspective of one who can be easily manipulated. One can see from reading the story that it is being told from Connie’s perspective, a girl who has fell victim to the deceit of a man who is trying to control her. The article by Rena Korb discusses several different interpretative views of the story, including the misgivings of one is giving Connie the impression of a cool young man when in reality is nothing more than a devious devil. In the article, Rena Korb states “The story has been subject to differing interpretations by various critics. It has been seen as an inverted fairy tale in which Connie is joined not with Prince Charming but with the Prince of Darkness. These readers have pointed out similarities between Arnold Friend and the devil: his disguise, his supernatural knowledge of the whereabouts of Connie’s family, his ability to lure Connie to him against her will, even his very name, which is by no coincidence close to “Arch Fiend.” I believe what this scholar says is true because of how there are many parts of the story that seem to show that this man is not what he seems but Connie is unable to see that because of how she is only seeing this illusion that this man is creating for her. My understanding of this story is that there are instances in life where there may be people that you simply cannot or should not trust.
Marvin, this was posted on Monday of Week 13.
The story “Where are you going, Where have you been” entails a female protagonist who is in conflict with her identity. This is mainly due to the fact that in her household Connie must act one way whereas to others she presents herself another way. In my opinion the dilemma of her actions throughout the story can mainly be due to the fact that she is a female thus she can not let her inner personality or the personality she lets those who aren’t her family because they do not govern her the way her parents do. Since Connie is also the younger sibling, she has her older sibling as a role model and is expected to follow. Yet throughout the story we see that Connie possesses a more liberal and adventurous sort of personality that is not acceptable in her house. Connie is not permitted to behave the way she craves, in fact we know this by just the way she reacts when her mother confronts her about the other girls’ behaviors.
“Where Are You Going, Have You Been” written by Jocy Carole Oates. This story has what all of us as young people go through in our lives, from problems with our parents to secrets with friends, wanting to experience and live things that we have never felt. But it shows us at the same time how all these desires to grow up and want to live new experiences can bring us bad experiences just as it was for Connie, who in her eagerness to grow and to experience what she said ¨Love¨in an innocent way. Her step ended up being a reality check thanks to a person who became obsessed with her and her life and at the same time, she was attracted to this person so convincing that she came to her with the intention of making her feel good or making her feel just like she wanted. The relationship that young people have with our parents, in this case, is important since communication with them is the main thing. In my opinion, young people should rely on the ideas and advice of our parents since they have in some way experienced what we have in different ways. For me, this story is interpreted as an entry into the world of malice and the loss of innocence in a person, either because they had some sexual experience that made a person stop believing in what they already believed, due to psychological abuse or mistreatment. received by someone who told him that he could not do what that person had always wanted or just a reality check from adult life that we all receive at some point.