Earles 1

Jordan Earles
Carter
30 October 2014
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Analysis
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates is an intriguing story
on the inevitable fate that lies ahead of young Connie. Although there is no definitive ending to
the story or to Connie, Oates leads the reader to infer what happened to Connie after she
opens the door of her house, and goes with Arnold Friend in his gold jalopy. The elements that

Comment [J1]: Changing leads the reader to

deliberately leaves out details and continues with
the story in order because it is not necessary to say
the reader and this adds specificity.

aid in the storys ominous tone help the reader to understand that Connie may not live the
normal teenage life that she once did, before she tried to grow up too fast.
Characterization is key to this short story to create the stereotypical teenage girl, a
creepy, older man, and parents who leave their youngest child home alone. Oates describes
these characters in such a way that makes readers uncomfortable with how they are portrayed
knowing no good can come from this story. Connie is the stereotypical teenage girl who is
fifteen, self-conscious, nave, and just wants to fit in to be someone in high school. All she
wants to do is hangout where the older kids are in a shopping plaza, and pretend to be older so
boys will notice her. Then, we have Arnold Friend; who in fact, is no friend to Connie. Oates
does a good job of creating a creepy older man describing him as having shaggy, shabby black
hair that looked crazy as a wig and he was grinning and She could see then that he wasnt a
kid, he was much olderthirty, maybe more. Oates also was able to give Friend the traits of

Comment [J2]: Adding to the sentence she

knew she was pretty and that was everything. (1st
paragraph, Oates) in order to add support and
evidence.
Comment [J3]: Add a new paragraph because
its now a different thought.
Comment [J4]: Split hang and out to
appropriately phrase the words.

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what seems like a stalker when he says I know your parents and sister are gone somewhere
and I know where and how long theyre going to be gone, and I know who you were with last
night, and your best girl friends name is Betty. Right?, Dont you know Im your friend? Even
when Connie first sees Friend before she knows him, he wags a finger and laughs saying Gonna
get you, baby. almost as a warning to Connie. The way she described Arnold Friend (and even
his name) was a great way to create the creepy kidnapper because at first, he blended in so
well with the cool kids and was the boy that intrigued her the most at the plaza.
Next, is Connies mother, who favors June (Connies sister) and also is unaware of the
events that go on in Connies life. Connies mother loves and cares for her, but does not mind
her staying home alone while she, her husband, and June go to a barbeque in town.

Comment [J5]: Adding because Her mother is

so simple, Connie thought, that it was maybe cruel
to fool her so much to add support and specificity.
Comment [J6]: Adding , as Connie sat out back
in a lawn chair and watch them drive away her
mother is characterized as always gawking at herself
in the mirror who had been pretty once too. Toad
support and specificity.
Comment [J7]: Deleting the reader and adding
that is perceived because saying the reader is
unnecessary.
Comment [J8]: Changing the to each
because that adds some clarity.

whats going on throughout the events of the story. Oates describing the car as an open

Comment [J9]: Adding to the sentence , such as

the shopping plaza where a guy comes up to Connie
and Connies friend leaves, Connie walking across
the plaza and seeing Arnold Friend in his car staring
at Connie, Connies parents leaving to go to a
barbeque, and the sound of a car coming down her
drive to add more specificity and clarity as to what
events I am talking about.

jalopy, painted a bright gold that caught the sunlight opaquely. helps the reader interpret

Comment [J10]: Removing the and adding

Arnold Friends car to add specificity.

characteristics about Friend. Having an open, brightly colored car shows that Friend is acting

Comment [J11]: Removing the reader and

adding to because it isnt necessary to say the
reader.

Imagery also plays a huge part in creating an ominous and suspenseful tone throughout
the short story because the image the reader perceives helps to develop the story and add to

like he wants to show off and is confident so maybe no one would suspect him of anything
suspicious. The description of Arnold Friend also contributes to the suspense throughout the
story because the description enables the reader to know that Arnold Friend is not a teenager.
All of the imagery that is dispersed through the whole of the story enhances the events and
builds suspense up to the end, keeping the reader on their toes waiting to see how nave
young girls can be at this age.

Comment [J12]: Deleting enables the reader

and adding allows for the assumption because it is
more specific and it isnt necessary to say the
reader.
Comment [J13]: To add specificity and clarity, I
am replacing All of the imagery that is dispersed
through the whole of the story to The imagery of
the shopping plaza, Friends car, Arnolds friend
holding the boom box on his shoulder, the parents
driving away, and a car pulling into Connies
driveway to add clarity.
Comment [J14]: Deleting keeping the reader
on their toes and adding as if its a game of and
continuing with the rest of the sentence.
Comment [J15]: Continuing with the sentence
and saying , and how long it will take Connie to
realize what her fate will be in the near future to
add clarity and specificity.

Earles 3

Diction is also used to provide a disturbing and uncomfortable feeling. The use of
adjectives like was and using past tense tells the reader from the start that Connie will not be

Comment [J16]: Deletion of this phrase to add

foreshadows because that phrase isnt necessary
and also says the reader.

around for much longer and her fate will eventually get the best of her.
The tone overall of the short story is ominous. The way Oates uses characterization,
imagery, diction, and theme all work to build this suspenseful and creepy story. The tone gives
rise to characterization and imagery because it allows readers to understand how the story
should be interpreted as the story builds and continues.
In life, people arent always going to turn out to be a friend, sometimes they just want
something out of you. People are very deceitful and will easily trick those nave enough to
believe they are actually there for them. As in the case of Arnold Friend and Connie, you have
to be on the lookout for people who seem too friendly. Those people may end up wanting
something so great out of someone so young or nave that, there is no going back, or, they may
just want to use that young and nave person in a way that is not appropriate to the situation.
Young women and men need to lookout for people who try to use them and act like a friend
because sooner or later, the deception will take over the friendship.

Comment [J17]: Adding for the understanding

of and deleting readers to understand because it
is repetitive and unnecessary.
Comment [J18]: Adding She was fifteen,
Gonna get you baby, stay home alone then, and
heard a car give perspective as to what will most
likely happen.

Comment [J19]: Adding For example, Arnold

Friend acts like he just wants to be friends with
Connie, and then it turns out he wanted more from
her than she couldve ever expected to add
specificity and evidence.
Comment [J20]: Adding , like Connie believing
Arnold and thinking no one will hurt her or is out to
get her because it enhances the evidence and
paragraph.
Comment [J21]: Deletion of this sentence
because its repetitive.
Comment [J22]: Deletion of this sentence
because it sounds like advice and doesnt focus on
the story.

Comment [J23]: Deletion of this sentence

because it doesnt focus on the story.

Where Are You Going Where Have You Been is one of the best ominous short stories I
have ever read. This story also gives young girls and even young boys a warning as to what they
should be looking out for as they grow up to be doing things on their own without parents and
friends there to help them. This story was gripping and definitely one that is not to be easily
forgotten.

Comment [J24]: Deleting because its an

opinion, and adding those ominous stories not
easily forgotten. It shows the deceit and inevitability
of fate for some young, nave girls such as Connie
because the first two sentences are irrelevant to the
story.
Comment [J25]: Deletion of this sentence
because its irrelevant and doesnt relate to the
story.