What are some possible themes of Where Are You Going Where have you been?
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Themes
- Appearances and Deception.
- Agency, Control, and Manipulation.
- The Presence of Evil.
- Music and Romantic Fantasy.
- Loss of Innocence.
Where Are You Going Where have you been coming of age theme?
| Themes. The short story is a coming-of-age tale, or—Joyce Carol Oates herself once noted—a “fairy tale gone wrong.” Its themes center on Connie and her longing for and eventual change from child to adult.
What is the purpose of Where Are You Going Where have you been?
Joyce Carol Oates wrote her short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” after reading about the 1950s serial murders of Charles Schmid, a story that was profiled in Life magazine. For one thing, she was concerned with the increasing fixation on sexual themes in the youth culture of the 1960s.
Why does Connie leave with Arnold friend?
This fear, this defense that Connie has developed, is another reason that she ends up with Arnold Friend in the end. Her insecurity, her low self-esteem, and her fear of intimacy all aid her in her unconscious decision to leave her house and go with the devious Arnold Friend in his gold convertible jalopy.
What does Arnold friend symbolize in the story?
Arnold Friend clearly symbolizes the devil through his physical traits, his knowledge of Connie, and his power over her kind of like he was hypnotizing her to go with him. First, Arnold Friend’s physical traits portray him as Satan.
How does Arnold know Connie’s name?
Arnold Friend knows Connie’s name without being told and, more disturbingly, seems able to see across town and into her aunt’s barbeque. One critic suggests the reason for Arnold Friend’s ill-fitting boots are his cloven hooves (Wegs 69). Others have likened the name Arnold Friend to Arch Fiend or An Old Fiend.
What happens to Connie at the end of the story?
From Wikipedia: “The main character of Oates’s story is Connie, a beautiful, self-absorbed 15-year-old girl, who is at odds with her mother—once a beauty herself–and with her dutiful, ‘steady,’ and homely older sister. The story ends as Connie leaves her front porch; her eventual fate is left ambiguous.”
Is Arnold Friend real?
Oates has described how she based the character of Arnold Friend on the real life serial killer, Charles Schmid, who also wore makeup and stuffed his boots in order to alter his appearance, and was known for preying on teenage girls—taking three of their lives in Tuscon, Arizona the 1960s.
Is Where Are You Going Where have you been based on a true story?
Joyce Carol Oates based “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” on a true story of rape and murder in Tucson, Arizona, in 1965. Charles Schmid, a twenty-three-year-old man, was arrested for the rapes and murders of several teenage girls.
Who is Ellie in where are you going?
Ellie Oscar serves as Arnold Friend’s largely silent sidekick, sitting in the car and listening to the radio for most of the story’s action. Eventually he offers to cut Connie’s phone line, bolstering Arnold Friend’s ambiguous and seductive verbal threats with the possibility of real, physical violence.
What is the plot of Where Are You Going Where have you been?
It’s summer, and fifteen-year-old Connie spends much of her time lounging around the house, going out with friends, and meeting boys. She’s a little vain, spends way too much time looking at herself in the mirror, and is perpetually annoyed with her entire family—especially her mom and older sister.
What is the main conflict in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
Connie Vs. Arnold Friend– The main conflict in this story, Arnold Friend and Connie clash. Connie is playing the scared, traumatized role while Arnold Friend is aggressor. He is making all the moves to get closer to kidnapping Connie.
Where Are You Going Where have you been moral lesson?
The main themes of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” are appearance versus reality, the embodiment of evil, and self-sacrifice. Appearance vs. reality: Both Connie and Arnold have two-sided natures, presenting an appealing self when necessary and withholding another.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been point of view?
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is told by a third-person limited omniscient narrator who focuses on Connie’s point of view. This narrative choice allows readers to empathize with Connie while at the same time maintain some distance from the events.
What does Connie represent in where are you going?
Connie, also, has been said to represent many things: Eve, troubled youth, or spiritually unenlightened humanity.
How is suspense created in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
In Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?, Oates creates suspense by using contrasting tones and characterization.
How does Oates convey the mounting fear Connie feels in the last pages of the story?
In the last pages of the short story, Oates convey’s Connie’s mounting fear through her use of diction, syntax, and imagery. Comparatively , when Connie is hiding from Arnold, she describes that she is “sick with fear,” showing that she had the gut feeling that something was wrong about him.
How does Oates generate and control that suspense?
One way Oates creates suspense is through the use of tone. Oates employs a serious tone in spite of Connie’s behaviors that lean toward deviating from her parents’ rules and finding ways to make herself more noticeable with boys.
How is music used in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
Music. Music functions as Connie’s bridge from the real world to her fantasy world. Connie enjoys escaping her life by listening to music and daydreaming about boys, and she gathers her ideas about romance primarily from songs on the radio.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been identity?
Identity in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” acts to separate Connie from her family emotionally and then physically as Arnold Friend misrepresents his own identity to her.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been tone and mood?
Tone and Mood “Where Are You Going; Where Have You Been” considers Connie’s teenage world and tragic situation very seriously. As Arnold Friend’s intentions become clearer, the story’s mood, initially somewhat journalistic, becomes decidedly unsettling and surreal.