Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is a story will definitely get a reaction from its readers. The story is about Connie who constantly conflicts with her family. The Connie known by her family makes fun of her older sister June and is constantly at odds with her mom, she believes these problems stem from her beauty which her mother used to have but doesn’t any more. She listens to music, hangs out with friends and is constantly worrying about her looks. However, when Connie leaves her family she takes on a different persona. She explores her maturity, trying to understand her sexuality as she begins to date. Connie becomes increasingly aware of her persona, trying to behave in an appealing way for the guys she sees and meets. When she hangs out with her friend, she sneaks off to the local diner, and has a date where she briefly encounters Arnold Friend. Connie notices Arnold as he shouts to her she notices his ostentatious car and his wild hair and then goes back to focusing on her date. However the next day, Arnold pays a visit to Connie while she’s home alone. At first Connie does not realize the magnitude of the situation, he’s just a boy whose come to get her attention. Initially he is appealing in a dangerous bad boy kind of way. Arnold’s character builds during this situation as we see he is a very mismatched person. Connie notes he is not impressive appearance wise, he tries to stands relaxed, but he’s working very hard to emulate this. Also, he has translucent skin, is tiny not much taller than she is and he’s older, she is 15 and he is 30. The moment Connie really notices something is up when she realizes his age, which she tell by looking at him but also because his car has a saying on it from an older class at her high school. Soon after the realization, Arnold begins to make demands of her telling her he wants her to take a ride with him.

As Arnold demands Connie to leave with him, his humanity comes into question.  Arnold tries to convince Connie by using specific details of her life to persuade her, like when he tells her, “I know your parents and sister are gone somewheres 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 girl friend's name is Betty.” After reading the story, I believe the situation where Arnold wants to convince Connie to come with him is Connie’s mind’s way of facing adulthood. Throughout the story Connie always has two separate personalities, the Connie her parents know, and the mature version of herself when she’s away from them. Arnold is a personified version of adulthood. When he first comes to the house, she puts on her persona to allure Arnold but after she begins to get freaked out she reverts to the girl her parents know, her “true” self. She becomes a child, she doesn’t know what to do after some time to get out of the situation- he keeps trying to convince her, bullying her psychologically, to leave but she doesn’t want to- and while trying to call the police, she cries for her mother and then faints. Eventually gives in to Arnold/adulthood, she finally reconciles both of her selves.