Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been: the Rebirth of the Protagonist
The author Joyce Carol Oates at the beginning of the book “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” refers to Connie’s pointless habit of checking her own reflection in the mirrors. This is a reflection of what inspired the short story: Tales of rebirth in the book Death and The Maiden, where a skeletal death seduces a young woman. Victims often gaze into mirrors admiring their beauty, which is much similar to what Connie did. Long hair was seen as a symbol that was vain in Death and tradition of the Maiden (Widmayer 6). Connie’s hair also symbolized vanity and beauty too. She goes ahead and does not attend an event for her family for her to wash her hair. Most incriminating, Arnold Friend pulls in Connie’s driveway when her death is personified, and Connie’s first checks on her hair before doing anything else.
The obsession Connie has with her beauty is not typical or isolated in this book. She has learned and understood lessons in the culture she is living in. In her perspective, she thinks that the prettiest daughters are preferred to others and that if one is attractive, then as a woman, it is okay to say you have ‘everything’ (1). The author neither criticizes Connie because of her vanity nor suggest that the character of Arnold Friend of violence and questionable visit as being fit for punishment. The author instead empathizes Connie’s character. The review of New York Times, the author puts down on paper that in character Connie, she could have seen, and she also sees herself (Oates). The teenagers’ hallmark is self-absorption, and the beauty of Connie obsessed ego, which was as a result of time and the place Connie inhabited. The place and time of her inhabitance is still vague, should be around America sub-urban. The setting of the story is anonymous; thus, allowing it to communicate about themes of the universe on how changes that are passing could mark a country.
The American Civil Rights Movement and Sexual Revolution began in the 1950s and 1960s, changing the forms moral authority had traditionally. Connie’s inhabitance doe not have high authority. Connie’s parents derived their limits and guidance from traditional sources. Thus, unable to observe her behavior and apply useful rules. The protagonist’s father fails to acknowledge the wife and also daughters, leading to the mother’s disinterests. Connie’s life is twofold, and she hides it from parents- in it, she decides to have experiences with boys. The father’s friend has a character similar to her father, even after picking up girls from the mall, he does not ask them what they have been doing. This move led to Connie becoming independent. She rendezvouses with boys older than her at the other side of the road, she does not tell the truth about what she does, and she disobeys her mother’s wish of staying at home. She develops another persona of an adult that complements the independence of her growing. She has two characters, while at home, Connie is a dreamy and grumpy teenager, with friends, she is bright and also flirtatious. She experiments with her sexuality that is developing and makes moves leading to womanhood.
Arnold Friend shortens her independence journey violently, as she is forced to leave childhood and also permanently leave her home. In Connie’s world, religion is absent. Just like all her family members, she also misses church’s attendance. Music her worldly religion- she loves pop music; she refers to a restaurant where fast-foods are sold as sacred (2). Connie experiences a feeling similar to religion. Arnold Friend also has a deep connection. The speech he gives is also musical. Arnold Friend talks like “reciting words to a song” (7) he “chant(s)” (7); he speaks in a “singsong way” (8). Arnold Friend’s word also has “slight rhythmic lilt” (11); in the end, he talks to Connie in a “half-sung sigh” (14). Music Arnold Friend plays “perpetual” (8). The parking area is full of music when Connie decides to spy him. In the driveway, the radio from Ellie scores the highest in the conversation they have. Connie trusts Arnold Friend as they both have the same feeling about a radio station.
Music connection is one thing that makes Arnold Friend and Bob Dylan different. Arnold Friend is short and has black hair and loves song. His character is similar to Dylan. The choice of song Arnold Friend had lured children from the parents and also the traditions they followed. Music also leads to Connie’s wide culture. She also wants a boy who has a vision of romance saccharine. Arnold Friend’s language confronts her- he refers to himself as Connie’s “lover” and informs her about his plans of “coming inside (her), and it is a secret” (10)- Connie is afraid. Connie collapses after experiencing something similar to sexual assaulting. She takes a deep breath, “Arnold Friend stabs her with no pity” (13). This episode’s nature is not clear. He even threatens Connie he would come in the house when she uses her phone. This felt more of mental rape, as Arnold was performing his promise shattering her innocence. Arnold Friend threatens Connie for her not to try and escape. In the tradition in Death and the Maiden, the motif is well-established. The Maiden is dangerously attracted to her suitor.
Connie wants to know about sex and the fact that Arnold Friend is a big boy; she is flattered. Connie is horrified when Arnold Friend talks about plans he has sexually behind his smile. The tradition classifies women as beauty objects that males consume, “what else is there for a girl like you but to be sweet and pretty and give in?” (14). As the beginning of the story, the look he gives to Connie is familiar to her- the look that a hawk gives to its prey. The existence of the mother to Connie limited to “scuffing around the house in old bedroom slippers” (3). The theories that a supported widely hold Arnold Fried as a malevolent being. When he pulls to her door, she says, “Christ. Christ, ” calling God in vain (4). Arnold Friend is afraid to enter her home. Arnold Friend knows a lot about Connie, including her name, and no one informs her about it. “Death and the Maiden” compare Arnold Friend to death. In many depictions of tradition, the scenes in the book suggest that death hides (Widmayer 10). Arnold Friend’s façade results to Connie thinking that his “whole face was a mask” (10). Arnold Friend talks about the death of the neighbor to Connie, and this suggests that he could have been involved or knows something that nobody else knows about the death. Connie goes back home; her home is a representation of the connection she has to her parents and also to the traditions. The connection is weak but could also save her. Connie’s house represents childhood, and the world outside represents Connie’s adulthood.
The end of the story has questions that are difficult about the main character’s will. In the book New York Times the author Oates writes features that have an ending as the heroism that results from an unexpected sign. That aspects significantly contributed to Connie’s character of sacrificing herself because of her own family, regardless of the countless times that Arnold Friend has threatened her (Oates). Arnold Friend sarcastically recognizes Connie’s act of sacrifice as a great move as no one her family would do that. Towards the end, Connie troubles come from “pinpoint of light that kept her going and would not let her relax” (13). The pinpoint is a representation of her family’s thoughts, and Connie is restless in a quest to ensure her family’s safety. The last passages of this book suggest that the will and the self-sense Connie had been shattered. Collapsing, when using the phone, clearly show Connie’s inability to challenge the authority of Arnold Friend exercises. Connie is detached from her own body in the scene since she is experiencing the dissociation episode. She walks to the door and also gives a reflection of her own heart and her body not being hers. These actions clearly show that Arnold Friend is controlling her actions. Connie sees herself pushing the screen door open in a strange land that is sun-drenched, and she does not recognize the land. The land is suggested to represent her life maybe after. It could also be her encounter traumatized her.
Exiting to go to a new world, Arnold Friend tells her about her blue eyes. Arnold has transparent regard for her emotions and desires. Connie’s eyes are brown, but Arnold Friend says they are blue, not showing any concern with what’s real in Connie’s world. The is ambiguity in the scenes as a result of most of the elements in the story. The title “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” is as a result of inspirations from numerous interpretations. Different readers see it as a book that reminds parents questions, and they might ask their daughters who are teenagers. But it is ironic as Connie’s parents do not show any concern in her life. Other readers may interpret it as Connie asking herself the question when she decides to transit to adulthood. When the story is about to end, Arnold Friend jeers Connie as he says, “The place where you came from is not there anymore, and where you had in mind to go is canceled out” (13). The story’s title could be representing all the thoughts mentioned above in numerous ways, as in it, there are so many layers of meaning. If the interpretations are correct, the Joyce Carol Oates short tale is perfectly fit.
