Introduction to “Where are You Going…”
The short story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted on several levels with characters having several historical and allegorical similarities. The story is about a 15-year old middle-class white girl thrown in the midst of the glamorous American culture dominated by music, automobiles, fast food, and evening outings. Like every other juvenile, Connie tries to break the social order in which parents have a dominant role in the safety and behavioral upbringing of a girl. She loves to be out in the open to enjoy life with other girls and boys of her age, but in-between these daydreams of enjoyments, this just 15-year old girl has the reality staring in her face in the shape of what her parents, society (the next-door neighbor) and other siblings would say in case they find out that she has crossed the social limits. On the other hand, the allurement of the modern culture, music, car riding, fast food, and the flattery exercised by a pretty young chap with threats to her dear ones have worked upon her mind to the point that she is ready to leave home with Arnold Friend in the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”
Modern Culture in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” and Connie
Although the point of whether it is a fantasy or a reality is debatable, the argument that Connie loves modern culture is a reality in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. It is clear from the very start that she does not like her mother to praise June who has conformed to the traditional culture of a dominant parenting structure. She is fed up with hearing “June did this, June did that, she saved money” and all other such would-be-expected-of-her niceties (Oates 1). She loves going out with other girls and boys of her age, for June has had this freedom as “June went to places with girl friends of her,” while she is allowed only to go with the father of her girlfriends. She wants music and is obsessed with the idea of having music as “something to depend upon” (2). Arnold Friend knows that this allurement of the modern culture has had effects on Connie. That is why he brings a radio with her that she “began to hear music” and by the end, it dawns upon her that even this music seems “so familiar to her was only half real” and not a complete reality (7). The other allurement that Arnold Friend uses very successfully to seduce Connie is the automobile and music with fast food. He comes in a good car with his friend Ellie carrying a radio and constantly playing music to trap her. He comes straight to the point when he talks to her in the beginning, “We come out here to take you for a ride” (4). When he does not see himself succeeding, he again throws the same bait before her of taking her to “have a nice ride” with them (6). However, it is another thing that despite both of these modern baits of seducing a girl at work, Connie feels something that is not right. She instantly comes to know that Arnold Friend is not a boy but an old predator of girls when she asks him his age and he cries out saying “That’s a crazy thing to ask. Can’tcha see I’m your own age?” which is not the fact (7) and she knows from the reality in the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.
Allegorical Interpretations of “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”
Another trick used by Arnold Friend is the same used by the allegorical namesake Arch Fiend or Satan against Adam in Heaven if the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” is interpreted on this level. It is flattery. He comes to use flattery until he achieves his end. He calls her pretty, honey, and everything that he can think to lure her into his trap. He even makes her believe, “I like the way you are, honey” to assure her that she is a pretty girl (7). She has already in mind that she is pretty. For a girl of 15 to be conscious that she is pretty, it is very difficult to resist an offer from a modern and stylish young man like Arnold Friend who not only owns modern gadgets but also uses an oily tongue. When she finds out his real intentions, she refuses, and true to his character, Arnold Friend comes down to threaten her. He knows that if flattery and baits fail, the threat of harm to near and dear ones works wonders. He clearly tells her to give her hand and that “nobody else gets hurt” or else it would be the other way round (7). This works and she comes with him in a trance-like state, but this state and the beginning of this fantasy both show that it is a daydream in which she has lost herself. It is the situation in which she finds herself when she is left by all other members of the family at home and she hears music after which she “seemed to rise mysteriously out of the music itself and lay languidly about the airless little room” (3). She then finds herself with Arnold Friend in a conversation to go out.
Conclusion
The debate about whether this is a daydreaming or a reality is beside the point, the argument that this daydreaming or fantasy has shown her a true reality carries weight by the end of the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. She is clearly seen on the side of her family, a loving nucleus from which she does not want to break away. She accepts Friend’s offer to come out only when he assures her that nobody else will get hurt and if she has not come out, it means her parents are in danger. The baits of modern luxuries and flattery fail where threats to loved ones work. Therefore, it is fair to say that it is a dream through which she has learned the lesson of not crossing social limits set by parents for their kids. She comes to know that there are risks lurking behind every other glittering bait. This exposure to reality through daydreaming is set to make her aware of all the dangers around her.
Works Cited
Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” NDSU. n. d. Web. 2 Dec. 2022.
Relevant Questions about “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”
- How does Connie’s character evolve throughout the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”? What internal and external factors contribute to these changes in her personality and actions?
- What role does Connie’s obsession with her appearance and desire for independence play in shaping her character and ultimately leading to the climax of the story? How do these traits influence her decisions and interactions with others?
- In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” how does Connie’s character serve as a symbol of the vulnerability and naiveté often associated with adolescents? How does the author use Connie’s character to explore themes of innocence and danger in the story?
