Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Because the world is not what it seems to be, you have to be careful, especially when you are young. Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? ” tells us about the life of Connie who has no guidance in her life, because her family has not provided any moral support, value or respect to help through her teenage years. She only knows about popular culture and how beautiful she is but not the consequence that comes with it. Without any directions to face problems that might occur, Connie is confronted by a supernatural being named Arnold Friend.

Connie is only fifteen years old and very preoccupied with her appearance. Her mother constantly nags at her for always being in front of the mirror, but Connie ignores her mother’s criticisms. “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister? (Quotes page 422). Her mother wants Connie to be more responsible like her older sister, June. Connie loves to spend all of her time daydreaming while June still lives at home at the age of twenty-four and works as a secretary at the High School Connie attends. June helps with their parents, saves her money and constantly receives praises from her mother.

Their father is never at home because he works a lot and very seldom talks to his daughters. Connie sometimes wishes that her mother and her sister were dead. They only thing I think Connie is happy about is that June goes out with her girlfriends, and her mother allows Connie to go out as well, with her best friend. Connie’s friend’s father drives them to a shopping mall in town to drop them off and returns later to pick them up, never asking how they spent their time. They usually sneak across the highway to a drive-in restaurant and meet boys.

One night, a boy named Eddie invites Connie to eat dinner with him, and Connie leaves her friend at the restaurant’s counter to go with him. While walking through the parking lot, she notices a man in a gold convertible. He waged a finger and smiled and said, “Gonna get you, baby. ” (Quotes page 423). Connie turns away without Eddie noticing anything. They spend time in the restaurant and then in an alley. Connie spends the summer hiding and avoiding her mother’s questions and dreaming about the boys she meets. One hot Sunday, the family leaves her at home alone while they go to a barbeque.

Connie washes her hair and dozes off while lying in the lawn chair in the back yard to let her hair dry. Connie gets hot and decides to go inside and listens to the radio. She here’s a car coming up the driveway. She looks out the window and sees that it’s gold convertible, and for some reason she gets scared. She walks into the kitchen, looks out the screen door, and realizes the guy in the car is the same guy she saw in the parking when she was on her date with Eddie. “I ain’t late, am I? “(Quotes 424) this is the first thing he says to her when she opens the screen door.

Connie replies by saying, “Who the hell do you think you are? “(Quotes page 424). The man smiles and begins talking to Connie. Connie makes like she is bored with him and he gets out of the car and introduce his self by saying this here is my name Arnold Friend and inside the car is Ellie Oscar. Arnold has a pale face with big white teeth and hair like a wig. He looks more like a demonic figure or even a nightmare of some sort and speaks calmly to quiet. He asks Connie to get in the car with him, but she makes up a story and tells Arnold that she has “things” to do.

He laughs, and Connie looks at him and notices that one of his boots was at a strange angle (Quotes page 429). She asks him how do you know her name, and he tells her that he how he knows a lot of things about her. He tells Connie the names of her friends and tells her where her parents are as well. Arnold tells Connie that she is going for a ride with him today. He asks her about his sign, and draws a large X in the air. Connie let the screen door close and stood perfectly still; inside it listening to the music (Quotes page 427).

Connie asks Arnold how old are you, his smile disappears and tells her that they are the same age or just a little bit older. Instantly Connie knows that he is lying and he starts to make fun of Ellie, who is listening to music in the car. I think that he made fun of Ellie because Ellie was like Christ in one form or another and he was the Anti-Christ himself. Connie starts to feel dizzy with fear. When a person is put in an incredibly horrifying situation where the outcome is unpredictable many physical and emotional changes take place.

Connie’s language of a young girl changes traumatically to nervousness and fear. Arnold tells Connie that he knows her parents and sister are gone somewhere and I know where and how long they’re going to be gone, and I know who you were with last night… ” and your best girlfriend’s name is Betty Right(Quotes page 426).

This makes Connie scared and nervous, and with the language that Connie uses. When Arnold says, “We ain’t leaving until you come with us” Connie replies with a firm answer, “Like hell I am. ” She cursed again, to make her point clear when she says, “Get the hell out of here. Religion is a part of the story, but it doesn’t bring Connie salvation or protection against Arnold or something supernatural. I believe that Arnold Friend represents an evil force sent by the devil and religion doesn’t keep Connie safe because it appears that she doesn’t believe in it. Arnold tells Connie that she is his lover and will give in to him and love him. She screams that he is crazy and begins to back away from the front door. She tells him to leave and threatens to call the police. Arnold, moving toward the porch, tells he will not come in the house unless she tries to call the police.

Connie tries to lock the door but her hands were trembling too much for her to do so. She asks Arnold what he wants and he tells her that I want you and that she is the one for him. Arnold gets more eager, telling her that if she doesn’t come out of the house, he’ll do something to her family when they come home. Arnold asks Connie about the woman who owns chickens. Connie tells Arnold the woman’s dead. Arnold says again that she should come outside or her family will get hurt. Connie runs from the door and grabs the telephone and calls out her mother in a sweat.

Arnold tells Connie to put the phone down and to come out side. He tells her where they are going, Connie stands up and walks toward the door and comes out side. I think Connie tried to call on God as a last result to save herself but the seductive Arnold had a hold on her right from the start. There are numerous statements in the story proving to me that Arnold Friend or shell I say A old Friend is an evil man who plans to do some unthinkable things to Connie. From the time Connie looked out the window I believe the struggle between them started leading to Connie’s downfall toward death.

Arnold Friend supernatural ability controlled and manipulated Connie’s body, mind and spirit. Arnold wanted Connie’s soul and at the end the devil won. I believe if Connie’s mother and father actually took the time to instill in her moral values and strong ties this could of help Connie in the long run. I think in some strange way Arnold comes to Connie the way to escape into her fantasy. When she learns about what is going to do to her she is scared to death at first but eventually that fear goes away and numbness and emptiness steps in.

Connie thinks, she is not going to see her family again, she will not be able to sleep in her bed anymore and that she is going to die a horrible death and no one will ever find her. There are many reasons Connie thought that, but one reason may be because lived in a fantasy world. I think Connie made the decision to leave because of her family not being killed and that she is escaping her old life. As Connie steps out the door, sunlight reaches behind as she is moving toward her fantasy world of uncertainty. The devil is cunning, powerful, and baffling.

The best thing that the devil ever did for himself is that the convinced the world that he did not exist. The devil knew what Connie liked and he uses this to his advantage. He dressed like a teenager, song like the man on the radio. Connie was hooked and didn’t even know it. I believe that the relationship between could end up fatal on Connie’s behalf. He will do to her what he has done to others.