Arnold Friend Innocence

The text says, “gonna get you baby”(Oates 1). The fact that Arnold Friend doesn't even know Connie and the first thing he says to her is that he is going to get her. That is pretty satanic, he speaks it into existence that he is going to get her and he does. Westwood backs up the claim stating that through foreshadowing Arnold Friend is similar to the devil. Westwood states that, “Exercising a eerie power, he predicts what will happen”(Westwood 1). Arnold Friend knows he is going to get Connie and what he is going to do with her before he even knows it. These are traits that the devil also has. Constant conflict between Connie and her mother causes Connie to wish for something that she now regrets. The text states, “Connie’s mother kept picking at her until Connie wished her mother was dead and she herself was dead and it was all over” (Oates 1). Connie and her mother are always bickering and Connie wishes herself and her mother were dead. When feeling low or depressed the devil finds ways to get control or seduce you. Arnold Friend takes advantage of Connie’s low self esteem and giver her close to what she wishes for. Through plot Arnold Friend reveals his many sinister traits and why the similarity between himself and the devil is so vivid.

Joyce Carol Oates finds inspiration for her short story based on Charles Howard Schmid Jr, a serial killer who made his debut in 1960’s. Charles Schmid was a charming, older, bad boy who targeted young girls in Tucson, Arizona. The similarity can be seen in Joyce’s short story when Arnold Friend targets stunning, 15-year-old Connie. Manipulation as well as other factors lead Connie to make an irrational decision, which jeopardizes her life. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” aspects of belonging to neglectful family with an overachieving sister, an envious mother, and careless father particularly contribute in Connie’s kidnapping,

She finds self satisfaction in knowing that boys and even men acknowledge her. There's power in being the onlooker versus who is being looked at and with Connie being immature is always searching for validation and security, constantly looking to see how people respond to her and checking in the mirror to compare to see if her look was alright. She pride herself in having a particular manner of dressing, walking, and laughing that make her sexually appealing, although these mannerisms are only temporary affectations. Arnold knowing this exploited her naiveness at the arrival of her house forcing her two personalities to collide forcefully. Connie wasn’t fully sexual until Arnold’s invasion into her home—until then, her sexuality was something outside of her “true” self, the self that she allowed her family to see. He kept holding the possibility that he was gonna come inside as a means to an end and ultimately Arnold uses his powerful persuasion to push Connie to sacrifice it all in the name of

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, by Joyce Carol Oates, takes place in the 1960s American Suburbs, where a family of four lives in a house that is in dire need of maintenance. Connie is the main character that seems to suffer from a slight boy problem. Connie feels as if her mom treats her cruelly and takes to a “secret” life that will help Connie find an escape. The story is important to read because it helps young girls realize that people will not always be what one makes themselves out to be. The story also helps raise awareness about the manipulation used to persuade young girls. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is included in many short story anthologies due to the fact that it leaves the reader making up conclusions about what happened to Connie. The short story may also be important due to the fact that it is written by Joyce Carol Oates, which is one of the most influential writers known. The ending acts

Joyce Carol Oates created short story called, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been in order to portray the power of logical, emotional and ethical appeals have over people. She helps illustrate these appeals by using the character Arnold Friend to try to lure a girl named Connie.

Connie begins to break away from her dull and boring life with her family and begins to test the strengths of her sexuality, Arnold on the other-hand is viewed as the devil’s traditional role of a seducer and deceiver through the reader’s psychological view. Arnold Friend is the nightmare version of Connie’s dreams and desires, Arnold

In the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates, the protagonist, Connie, is a fifteen-year-old girl whose quiet Sunday and life is interrupted after, "she heard a car coming up the drive" (341). Through the story's events, Connie is depicted as a carefree teenager living life her way despite her family's expectations, until an unknown man arrives at her house. After the unknown man, Arnold Friend, forces himself into her life, Connie is forced to stop living life her way and succumb to Arnold and the world's oppression. In "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?," Oates depicts how gender expectations and patriarchal oppression strip young women of their adolescence. Oates depicts Connie's carelessness

“Where are you going Where have you been” by Joyce Carol Oates, tells us about one innocent girl in search of independence, drawn in by a mysterious guy named Arnold Friend who contrasts with Satan. The author uses several accounts of imagery that relate to the theme in the story, Fantasy and Reality. In reality Connie is a 15 year old girl, who lives with her mother, father and sister June. She occasionally sneaks out with her friends. Now Connie fantasies about truly being a woman.

Oates starts off by introducing the story’s 15 year old protagonist, Connie. Connie is symbolic of innocence and good. However, Connie has

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” written by Joyce Carol Oates is an unsettling and incredibly formidable story of a young woman’s loss of innocence during a time of social change and turbulent times. The story’s protagonist is Connie, a self-absorbed, yet beautiful fifteen year old girl, who not only is at odds with her family but also the conservative values handed down by her family. She, unknowing to her parents, spends her evenings exploring her independence and individuality as well as by flirting and picking up boys at a local diner. One evening she catches the attention of a strange, creepy boy who drives a gold, dilapidated convertible. While alone at home one Sunday afternoon, this same creepy boy driving the gold

After coming to the realization she is not safe, Connie utters “What are you going to do?”, which is her last word. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates and Connie portrays the protagonist. Connie’s parents were present in her life, which made her stray away and become independent. She wants attention from boys, until she realizes that may not be a good idea when Arnold Friend shows up at her house while her parents leave the house. Friend, around the age of 30, tries to get her to come with him until she ends up being taken out into the woods by him and his friend to be possibly raped and murdered.

The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” is essentially about a young woman’s strive for independence, which eventually leads to conflict. Oates portrays a social issue that relates to today’s society by using symbolism and characterization. She takes you on a journey throughout a teenagers life, tells about her thoughts and feelings while also relating to naïve girls today. Connie is a symbol of young girls who try to rush and grow up too fast. The ones who want to be popular with all the boys.

Joyce Carol Oates' “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” (hereafter referred to as “Where”) is a frightening story about young Connie who believes and acts mature but is confronted with the things she had been chasing and is terrified of that reality. There are several elements, including metaphors, allegories, implications, etc., of this story that are not clearly defined but leave room for readers’ interpretation. Oates does make several things clear, including how chasing the wrong things can lead to one’s own demise and idolizing the superficial can lead one to the wrong places. Oates’ short story vividly illustrates the abrupt transition from adolescence to adulthood and the accompanying loss of innocence through Connie forming her

“ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a short story by Joyce Carol Oates. In this short story, the setting took place in the 1960’s with a 15 year old girl named Connie. Connie is a teenager who is playing around with her friends and guys. Connie’s mother is rude to Connie, so Connie starts to acts up. When Connie starts to play around with guys, she meets a man named Arnold Friend.

In the American society, when individuals reach adolescence, they begin to search for their identity by exploring their interests and opening their mind to new notions and ideas. This is the psychological and physical human development that ultimately leads them to their adulthood. Joyce Carol Oates' short story depicts a fifteen year old girl with typical teenage concerns. She has to face the realization of the meaning of maturity in the American civilization when she is ripped out of her childhood by Arnold Friend. In the short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Joyce Carol Oates suggests that when teenagers are in the coming of age, they are easily fooled and taken