Analysis Of Joyce Carol Oates Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Joyce Carol Oates is an American writer who has published over forty novels. Most of her novels are graphic and many of them depict death. In her short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Oates tells the story of Connie, a fifteen year old girl. Like in many of her previous novels Connie dies, or the reader is led to believe she does. Oates was inspired by Bob Dylan’s song “ It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”, Charles Schmid, and from the book of Judges chapter 19 verse 17 in the Bible.
While Joyce Carol Oates had many inspirations for writing this story, one of the most dominant was Charles Schmid. Schmid, or “Smitty” as his friends called him, was a serial killer in Tucson, Arizona during the 1960s. He excelled at gymnastics in
Arnold is shown as a handsome man who appears to wear makeup and his shoes do not fit properly. As described in the short story, Connie is an attractive blonde haired girl who is flirtatious. Throughout the movie she argues with her mother. When Connie was leaving the drive- in restaurant, Arnold says, “Gonna get you, baby…”. A little while later, Connie refuses to go to the barbeque at her aunt’s with her family, and Arnold Friend pulls down the drive way. He tells her that he has come to get her, and at first she responds by flirting with him. She soon realizes that he wants to do more than just take her on a ride so she walks inside. Unlike the book, when Connie picks up the phone to call someone instead of Arnold coming into the house he talks her into hanging up from outside. Arnold mentally abuses Connie, and finally gets her to take a ride with him. The book ends with Connie seeing a bright light, but Smooth Talk shows a different perspective. After Connie leaves with Arnold, she returns home. Soon thereafter her family arrives back at the house too. June, Connie’s younger sister,
Connie heard the praise off her mother, “June did this, June did that, she saved money and helped clean the house and cooked and Connie couldn’t do a thing, her mind was all filled with trashy daydreams.” Connie may have encountered Arnold Friend in person and he may have spoken to her. In the short story, Connie was not really raped and killed. Arnold raping and killing her was just a figment of her imagination. As Connie was “moving out into the sunlight”, Arnold said “My sweet little blue-eyed girl.” Because Connie had brown eyes and the light is surrounding her, it can be inferred that what is occurring is not real, and she is waking up from a dream. Due to the wording in the short story, one possible ending to “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is that Connie was dreaming the entire