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

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” written by Joyce Carol Oates is a story briefly filled with love, crime, and violence. Joyce Carol depicts serial killer Charles Schmid in her story. The character Arnold Friend lacks the potential to kill that the real life serial killer had. In the story Connie’s wild, carefree attitude draws the attention of Arnold Friend. He watched her from aside for a while but Connie was so caught up in what she was doing that she didn’t notice him until. “He wasn’t tall, only an inch or so taller than she would be if she came down to him … his face was a familiar face, somehow: the jaw chin and cheeks slightly darkened, because he hadn’t shaved for a day or two, and the nose long and hawk –like” (in “Where

She sort of flaunts he sexual persona in order to draw attention to herself. She’s constantly making fun of other girls including her sister, June. She doesn’t have any concerns that would be seen as mature. Her main priorities are her looks, hanging out with her friends, listening to music, and flirting with boys despite what he parents think. When Connie is home she acts differently then she would out in public, the biggest reason she does this is probably due to her not having anyone to impress at her

Women during this time also lacked control over their individual lives. Throughout the story not once was it stated that there was a woman driving a car. Which is a symbol for the control men had in the American culture during this time period. Aside from the historical context involving women there is also much to do with the music in the story as well. Oates describes the music as if it was a religion. In the story the girls go to a restaurant to listen to music; they refer to this restaurant as sacred. “Glow of slow-pulsed joy that seemed to rise mysteriously out of the music itself” (in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.”). The music in the story functions as a sort of contemporary culture. The ideas and pictures that Connie created about love throughout the story were all derived from the songs she listened to. This is important to the story because it’s how Arnold Friend exploits Connie. When Arnold meets Connie, he’s playing the radio station that Connie listens too. Which in a way sort of gives Connie a sense of trust and familiarity to him even though she doesn’t know