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.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been theme of violence?
Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” tracks
the debilitating physical and psychological effects of sexual violence on its victims
. Although at times Arnold appears to be supernaturally evil, he is all the more troubling a character because of how realistically he is portrayed.
What is the story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been about?
Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ short story, the film
follows Connie, a 15 year old girl through her life and summer in 1966
. Her summer comes to a halt one afternoon while her family is away from their home.
What is the most important motif in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
The most important themes in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates are
independence versus control, harassment, and versions of reality
. Important motifs in the short story are music, appearances, and dizziness.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been thesis ideas?
Thesis: ”Where are you going, where have you been?” by
Joyce Carol Oates uses symbolism to portray youths’ desire for independence but overall gullibility to life’s illusions
. III. When Connie is under Arnold’s gaze, when she meets him for the first time in the restaurant parking lot, she can’t help looking at him.
Why does Connie have Arnold Friend?
This fear, this defense that Connie has developed, is another reason that she ends up with Arnold Friend in the end. … Her insecurity,
her low self-esteem
, and her fear of intimacy all aid her in her unconscious decision to leave her house and go with the devious Arnold Friend in his gold convertible jalopy.
What do the numbers in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been mean?
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.
Why does Connie finally go outside as Arnold demands?
Why does Connie finally go outside as Arnold demands?
Arnold instructs Connie to come outside and says she is better than her family because they would not sacrifice themselves for her
, as she is about to sacrifice herself for them.
What happens to Connie at the end of the story?
What happened to Connie at the end of Where Are You Going Where have you been by Joyce Carol Oates?
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.”
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been point of view?
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is told by
a third-person limited omniscient narrator
who focuses on Connie’s point of view. This narrative choice allows readers to empathize with Connie while at the same time maintain some distance from the events.
Why is music so important in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
Music Symbol Analysis. From the outset of the story, music
symbolizes Connie’s inner life
, specifically the pleasure she takes in romantic relationships and romantic ideals themselves. Whenever she goes to the plaza with her friends, music is always playing in the background.
What is the symbolism in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted from a feminist perspective. There are many parts of the story that seem to symbolize
the oppression of women
. The story symbolizes the exploitation of women by men, and how women allow themselves to be controlled.
What are the allegorical elements in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
“[The] story is clearly an allegory of
the fatal attractions of death (or the devil)
,” Oates explains. “An innocent young girl is seduced by way of her own vanity; she mistakes death for erotic romance of a particularly American/trashy sort” (source).
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been climax?
The climax of the story comes
when the two men come to Connie’s house
. She is alone, her family has gone to a barbecue. When Arnold Friend and Ellie arrive at her house, she is initially excited about the possibility that she was being sought out.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been culture?
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is
set in 1960s America
. That this setting so closely resembles our own is not surprising, given how much of American society can be traced back to the burst of optimism and material prosperity following World War II.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been irony?
The dramatic irony of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” conveys
the tone of warning about temptation
. Connie’s situation is that she does not feel appreciated at home and uses her looks and actions to get attention and appreciation from boys even if it is short-term.
