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Analysis Of 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?'

599 Words3 Pages

Paul Rider

Robert Baird

ENGL-1020-P34

1/31/2023

Formalist Analysis

The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, presents how weak family bonds can lead to the loss of innocence in youth through Connie, a young, pretty teen with a poor relationship with her mother and an absent father figure, and Arnold Friend, a man posing as a teen to lure Connie into his arms. Joyce Carol Oates used foreshadowing, symbols, and a clever narrative structure to present this theme.

This story is set in the 1960s in America and follows Connie in the third person through her escape from family life and the loss of innocence. It begins with tension between Connie and her mother over her being too pretty and her rebellious teen nature. To relieve herself from her family feud, she went to shopping malls, restaurants, and met with boys with her ‘girl friends’. At the shopping mall, Connie is spied on by Arnold Friend, an odd man showing an unclear interest in her. The following day, Connie's lack of interest in a family barbeque at her aunt's house leads to isolation in her home until Arnold Friend pulls into her driveway. He manipulates Connie into leaving her house and into his arms after threatening to hurt her …show more content…

The first half of the text explains the story in paragraphs while the rising action is textualized in dialogue between Connie and Arnold Friend. This structure was likely used to parallel the duality between the two main characters in how they present themselves to people contrary to their true selves. We see this in Connie in how she wears her clothes and does her hair at home compared to when she is out with her friends. Similarly, Arnold Friend is implied to be wearing a mask or makeup to hide his older age. His car is a symbol that reflects this: the old beaten car has a new paintjob over it to look shiny and cryptic characters to mimic

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