Where Did You Go Where Have You Been Analysis

With the lingering debates of Morality and Purpose, the human psyche is constantly challenged in our day to day lives. In the story of “Where did you go, Where have you been?” The characters of the story allows for several underlying themes to come to the surface in a story about Evil. The stories purpose of creating a dichotomy between Connie’s innocence and Arnold’s Evil allows for allegorical tones of sin to flourish as well the fears of reality to come merging in. Connie’s place in the story and how she operates within the confines of the narrative. One of the greater facets of the narrative lies in the power of sexual desire, mostly resonating in youth. This provides the precedent for the rest of the story. Being a story rooted in deep

His willingness to be in control mimics this allegory of a demon, especially in their meeting of the car. “As already established, Arnold is a devil or devil-figure—and as the story ends, Connie is about to climb into the grotesque car with the devil-figure. Arnold has already made his intentions quite clear: “I’ll hold you so tight you won’t think you have to try to get away . . . because you’ll know you can’t. And I’ll come inside you where it’s all secret . . .” “ (Sutton 58). This sexually charged line comes across as demonic. However, a counterpoint could be that Arnold simply represents the natural evil that exists in the world.

The need to control, breeds catastrophe, and eventually destruction. Desiring a feeling of control leads Arnold to make ends meet, whatever the cost. “At the ends of both stories the farm owners, both of whom have always tried to view life as meaningful and as something to be thankful for, must cope with this evidence of the destructive urge in humans.” (Sutton 62). The above quote gives consequences to Arnold’s actions.

Arnold, as our antagonist, represents everything that the protagonist naively wants, as well as eventually

Much of this story can be chocked up as a coming of age story. The questioning of a young impressionable child being conditioned into a new world. (Wegs) Not to mention the fact that in the story “Nana”, the characters reflect very much of the characters in this story. The main character is a female idealist that uses her sexuality as an appeal. This of which, brings danger to her naive world as older men intervene into their life. (Anand, Chatterjee 85) Here throughout the story, age is a considerable factor that plays into the characters day to day lives.

The next debate is the contrast between from nihilism and idealism.“Understandably, naturalism and humanism, in more ways than one, represent two antithetical schools of thought where the former corresponds to a violent and fatalistic sentiment, while the latter presents an optimistic and life-affirming stance…” (Anand, Chatterjee 83). “..it may be reiterated that Oates’s literary temperament demonstrates a gradual development toward optimism and faith in humanity from a dark and nihilistic worldview…” (Anand, Chatterjee 88) This faith in the character is responded by