Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Arnold Friend Character Analysis

In Joyce Carol Oates’s Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been , there certainly is no clear cut way to interpret the story. Oates includes symbolism throughout the story that adds depth and requires the reader to look farther into the reasons behind the details that are included the work. She writes about a fifteen year old girl, Connie, who becomes a victim of Arnold Friend while left home alone . Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been was written in 1966, a time during which a social revolution for American women was in full swing. This empowerment that woman had, as they pushed for complete gender equality, inspired the character of Connie. Her character reflected this loss of innocence and hope that the entire nation was feeling

His character is a reflection of Charles Schmid, a serial killer from Arizona that came to be known as “The Pied Piper of Tuscon.” The way Oates describes Arnold’s appearance in the story is very similar to the signature look that belonged to Charles Schmid. He was known to wear makeup, which Arnold was said to be wearing when Connie saw “how thick the lashes were, thick and black as if painted with a black tarlike material.” Oates describes him to also have “shaggy, shabby black hair that looked crazy as a wig.” Schmid was also known for his dyed, tousled hair. The last significant similarity in their appearance is the specific boots he was known to wear. He would stuff them to make himself seem taller, this would cause him to stumble and seem uneasy on his feet

If you look in the Bible you will find the meaning behind why Oates chose these particular numbers. It is in the Old Testament, found in the thirty third book from the end, chapter 19, verse 17. It says “When he raised his eyes he got to see the man, the traveler, in the public square of the city. So the old man said: ‘Where are you going, and where do you come from?’” From this, Oates gets the plot and the title of this story . She was inspired to write the story after she read an article from Life Magazine and hearing a song written by Bob Dylan. The article titled The Pied Piper of Tuscon tells the story about how Alleen Rowe became one of the real victims of Charles Schmid. Oates decided to write her story based on the point of view from a potential victim. Bob Dylan’s song, “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” influenced her story as well. This is why, even though Connie’s eyes are said to be brown, Arnold says to her at the end of the story, “My sweet little blue-eyed