Oates has described “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” as slipping and sliding between genres. She suggests the terms “psychological realism” and “realistic allegory” (source). The story also fits within the coming-of-age genre as it follows its adolescent protagonist as she faces some tough decisions.
What type of literature is Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
Oates has described “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” as slipping and sliding between genres. She suggests the terms “psychological realism” and “realistic allegory” (source). The story also fits within the coming-of-age genre as it follows its adolescent protagonist as she faces some tough decisions.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Gothic?
“As with much of Oates’s fiction, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” uses the technique of psychological realism, funneling the narrative through Connie’s consciousness, along with elements of gothic horror, to chilling effect.” The work can be considered horror, or gothic.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been theme?
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.What point of view is Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
The first line of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? “ — “Her name was Connie “ — signals that it is being told by a third-person narrator. This narrative voice stays closely aligned to Connie’s point of view. … It is through this language that much of the mood, imagery, and symbolism of the story emerges.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been author's tone?
Tone. Oates’s uses a sympathetic but serious tone for this story. The story is largely told with sympathy to Connie as the reader is allowed to explore Connie’s thoughts and feelings toward her family, life, and Arnold Friend.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been title meaning?
In Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?, the title relates to Connie’s lack of focus and detachment from her family when she goes out with her…
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Bob Dylan song?
Joyce Carol Oates dedicated “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” to Bob Dylan, and she has claimed that the story was influenced by Dylan’s haunting song “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” The story contains echoes of the song’s lyrics, such as the following: “The vagabond who’s rapping at your door / Is standing …What happened to Connie in where are you going?
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.”
Why does Connie consider even briefly going for a ride with Arnold friend?Due to her insecurity and low self-esteem, Connie is just gullible enough to believe that it really is “all over for [her] here.” She is willing to go with Arnold Friend not because she actually wants to, but because she thinks he is right; Connie has nothing keeping her, not her friends, her family, or any of the …
Article first time published onWho is Arnold friend based on?
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.
What does Arnold friend's car symbolize?
Arnold’s Car Arnold Friend’s flashy gold car, with its outdated phrases written on the sides, is an extension of Arnold himself: extreme and not entirely right. … Once Arnold’s true, violent nature comes through, the car becomes a symbol of all that is dark and ominous about his character.
How old is Connie in where are you going?
Connie. The fifteen-year-old protagonist of the story. Connie is in the midst of an adolescent rebellion. She argues with her mother and sister, June, and neglects family life in favor of scoping out boys at the local restaurant.
Is Arnold Friend omniscient?
Arnold Friend, the omniscient inveigler and deceptive charmer of Joyce Carol Oates’, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” is evocative of the Devil himself. Through rich symbolism, dialogue, and characterization, Oates’ creates a twisted lie of a man whose every word is to be doubted.
What does 33 19 17 mean in Where Are You Going Where have you been?
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. … Harold Hurley posits that the numbers carry a sexual connotations because when added together they equal 69, a sexual position.
What are Connie's two sides?
At home, Connie appears childish, but away from home, she strives to appear sexy, mature, and seductive. For the most part, her two sides seem to exist in harmony. She argues with her mother and sister at home, but otherwise her transition from child to woman and back again seems to happen effortlessly.
How does Oates characterize Connie?
In the short story, Carol Oates describes Connie as having two different personalities, one being a narcissistic attitude. Oates states, “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home: her walk that could be childlike and bobbing, or languid enough…show more content…
Is Connie a static or dynamic character?
As the character analysis of Connie in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” proves, even if Connie does not leave her house and does not go out with Arnold, she understands that independence is not what she has believed to be. This realization of some facts makes her a dynamic character.
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.
Where did Connie go in Grapes of Wrath?
” This upsets Rose of Sharon, and she storms away to sulk in her tent. When she settles down, she realizes that Connie is gone. Al tells the family that he saw Connie heading south and presumably back to Oklahoma. Connie was never seen or heard from again.
What does Arnold friend want Connie?
She loves listening to music and is essentially a typical teenager. Arnold Friend: A mysterious figure who visits Connie while her family is not at home and continuously demands that Connie to get in the car and go on a ride with him. … She does everything that her family asks of her, and is doted on by their mother.
Where Are You Going Where have you been based on real story?
Sources. 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.
Where do Connie and her friends go when they leave the shopping plaza?
Connie and her friends enjoy being dropped off at a shopping plaza without adult supervision, wearing ballerina slippers and charm bracelets. Often after being dropped off, they run across the highway to a drive-in where older kids gather.
Is Connie a sympathetic or unsympathetic character?
Dynamic Character: In Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?, Connie is a dynamic character because her character evolves during the story. In the story, Connie is transformed from an unsympathetic to a sympathetic character.
Why does Connie agree to go with Arnold Friend Is she motivated by fear and hysteria or the love of her family what is her ultimate fate?
Connie knows that if she gives in to Friend’s demands, she saves the rest of her family from Friend’s threats. In Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” Connie submits to Arnold because she fears for her family’s safety. For majority of the story, Connie had shown a level of disdain for her family.
What did Connie do instead of go to a barbecue with her family?
Connie spends the summer avoiding her mother’s prying questions and dreaming about the boys she meets. One Sunday, her parents and June leave her at home alone while they go to a family barbeque. Connie washes her hair and dozes while she lets it dry in the sun.
Who is Ellie in where are you going?
Arnold Friend’s sidekick, Ellie is passive and quietly disturbing character in the story. He sits in the passenger seat of Friend’s car holding the transistor radio. Connie observes that while, like Friend, Ellie is also older than he originally appeared, he is also strangely undeveloped and completely submissive.
How is Arnold Friend characterized by the external description?
Arnold Friend, with his suggestive name that hints at “Arch Fiend,” is an ambiguous figure who may be either demon or human, fantasy or reality. Arnold makes a grand entrance at Connie’s house in his gold convertible, but beyond his ostentatious car, his appearance is less than impressive.
What is the irony of Arnold friends name?
Arnold Friend’s name is example of verbal irony because he is anything but a friend to Connie.
How old is Arnold Friend?
The stranger identifies himself as “Arnold Friend,” and he insists that he’s 18 years old. Initially calmed by his smooth-talking, Arnold asks for Connie to accompany him on a ride to a far away location.
In what ways would you characterize Connie as a typical 15 year old?
Her concerns are typically adolescent: she obsesses about her looks, listens to music, hangs out with her friends, flirts with boys, and explores her sexuality. She takes great pleasure in the fact that boys and even men find her attractive.
