Where Are You Going Where have you been theme analysis?
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 symbolism?
In American culture and literature the car has long been a symbol of freedom and independence. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” it is notable that men drive and women are passengers. When Arnold Friend offers to take Connie for a ride, he is seeking to gain control over her and her movements.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been thesis ideas?
Thesis: ”Where are you going, where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates uses symbolism to portray youths’ desire for independence but overall gullibility to life’s illusions. III. When Connie is under Arnold’s gaze, when she meets him for the first time in the restaurant parking lot, she can’t help looking at him.
What does Ellie represent in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
In her 1990 journal article published in Studies in Short Fiction entitled “The Shadow of a Satyr in Oates’s ‘Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” literary critic Joan Easterly posits that the name “Ellie Oscar is a parody of the name of the Greek god of mercy, Elios.” This is a highly defensible theory of the …
What do the numbers 33 19 17 mean in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
In interpreting the numbers 33, 19, 17, which are painted on the side of Arnold Friend’s jalopy in Joyce Carol Oates’s story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (in The Wheel of Love and Other Stories [New York: Vanguard Press, 1970]), Mark Robson claims that there exists an allusion to Judges 19:17–the number …
Why is Connie’s sister June included in the story?
Having June as a sort of foil or point of comparison to Connie is important to establish Connie’s sense of her place in the family structure; just as Connie compares herself to her friends or other girls in her school.
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.
Why is Arnold friend attracted to Connie?
Arnold is attracted to Connie’s beauty and the innocence of her youth. As the author outlines at the beginning of the story, Connie has the type of long, dark blonde hair that attracts admiring looks—looks which, at the age of 15, she is becoming increasingly aware of.
Why does Connie finally go outside as Arnold demands?
Arnold instructs Connie to come outside and says she is better than her family because they would not sacrifice themselves for her, as she is about to sacrifice herself for them. Connie’s dreams of love and romance are replaced by her dread of the oncoming sexual assault.
Does Connie die in where are you going?
The build up to her last actions suggests that she will not survive, but the reader might infer that her internal strength will get her through whatever comes next. Just before Connie leaves, she apparently decides on an act of sacrifice.
What does Connie do at the end of the story?
Connie is compelled to leave with him and do what he demands of her. The story ends as Connie leaves her front porch; her eventual fate is left ambiguous.”
Is Arnold Friend the Devil?
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.
What does Ellie offer for Arnold friend?
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.
How does Arnold manipulate Connie?
Arnold’s main weapons against Connie are manipulation and flattery; she has no immunity to these things, and thus, they become a tool to ensnare her. He compliments Connie’s beauty, and she wants more. But when flattery doesn’t work, he uses manipulation and threatens her family.
How is Arnold friend’s name symbolic and ironic?
How is Arnold Friend’s name symbolic and ironic? Arnold’s name is ironic because he is the opposite of a friend, symbolically showing that those.
What is significant about the name Arnold friend?
Arnold Friend could be said to symbolize the devil. Like the devil, he’s superficially friendly and charming, but in actual fact turns out to be the incarnation of evil. Arnold’s physical traits, as well as his behavior towards Connie, point towards his representing the devil himself.
What does the story say about physical beauty and the way it is regarded by society?
Oates might be saying that the idea of physical beauty as dictated by society is one realm where victimization is inevitable for either one is adhering to norms in which they lack control or they will always be forced to chase an unattainable ideal.
How does Arnold friend know so much about Connie?
He invites her to go for a ride. Arnold Friend seems to know many things about Connie: her name, who her friends are, and the fact that her family is gone for the afternoon. When Arnold’s friend Ellie turns around, Connie sees he looks like a forty-year-old baby.
What is the 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.
What does Connie represent in the story?
Many critics have interpreted Arnold Friend as a symbol of some larger idea or force, such as the devil, death, or sexuality. Connie, also, has been said to represent many things: Eve, troubled youth, or spiritually unenlightened humanity.
Which person is the focus of Connie’s attention?
This story is about a fifteen year old girl, Connie. Throughout the story the author submits Connie’s feelings and emotions as she goes about her day. Connie’s character shows strong opinions towards her family especially her mother. The main character’s view is that her mother favors her sister June.
Where Are You Going Where have you been inspiration?
It was inspired by three Tucson, Arizona murders committed by Charles Schmid, which were profiled in Life magazine in an article written by Don Moser on March 4, 1966. Oates said that she dedicated the story to Bob Dylan because she was inspired to write it after listening to his song “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”.
What is painted on Arnold friend’s car?
When Connie asks him what the stuff painted on his car means, Arnold goes through the various sayings and eventually comes to the numbers 33,19, 17. He tells Connie, “Now, these numbers are a secret code, honey” (1007).
What is the significance of the title Where Are You Going Where have you been?
The allusion parallels Connie’s decision to sacrifice herself so that Arnold Friend will not harm her family. The title also points to the strained relationship between Connie and her parents, who nag her about her behavior but do not question her actions.
What role does music play 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 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.
How does Connie’s vanity affect her interactions in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
How does Connie’s vanity affect her interactions in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Connie knows she is pretty, and to her looks are everything. Her vanity and her inability to go beyond it make her susceptible to any boy that gives her a compliment.
What is Connie’s initial reaction when Arnold friend pulls up to her house in his gold painted car?
What is Connie’s initial reaction when Arnold Friend pulls up to her house in his gold-painted car? She worries about how she looks.
Who is the antagonist in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
Arnold Friend
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.