The story “Where are you going, Where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is a good reflection of the evil that is present in society with Connie being an average teenager and ignorant to the evil of the world around her. I like the comparison that Rena Korb made in her critical review comparing Arnold Friend to the devil as well as mentioning the vampire aspect of him not entering the house. Both have strong connotations to darkness and evil. Connie starts out as this shallow person who only cared about her looks which is evident throughout the story with her mentioning how she looks and being conscious of her beauty. She uses her beauty to her advantage by frequenting places where older guys hang out probably as a way to cope with the neglect of her parents who don’t sound like they are really there for her. She is able to form two different personalities one for her home life and the other for when she is outside. When she goes to Arnold, she is giving into sin as he represents the evil and darker parts of life.
Powered by:
top