Symbolism In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
Innocence
Innocence is a part of a humans life and it is up to the persons decisions to find out whether or not its going to affect there future. In some people views in innocence is freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil. At some point in everyone’s life they will eventually lose there innocence, it just depends on the choices they have made. In Joyce Carol Oates “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.” She uses characterization and imagery to show how Connie is dealing with the loss of her innocence Oates characterization of Arnold Friend shows how Connie’s perspective of Arnold and his looks leads to the deception of who he really is. Connie was at home alone one day and a car pulled into her drive way that she didn’t know, and it …show more content…
happened to be a man named Arnold. Arnold was a very charming type of guy so Connie couldn’t resist from talking to him.
Connie kept looking at him because she thought he looked familiar like she’s seen him .or talked to him before. As she was examining him she liked the way he dressed. He was wearing tight scuffed jeans, scuffed up boots; a tight white shirt to show off how muscular he was even his neck was really muscular as a result of doing hard labor or lifting. Connie was comparing him to the perfect guys she would hear about in the songs she listened to on her radio and because she was still young she had the temptation to have this guy. As Connie is one of those girls who is always looking in the mirror and making sure she looks alright her temptation to having a guy like the ones on the radio couldn’t let this one get away. “ I took a special interest in you, such a pretty girl, and found out all about you-like I know your parents and sister are gone somewhere and I know were and how long they will be gone, and I know who you were with last night, and your best friends name is Betty right? He spoke in a simple lilting voice, exactly as if he were reciting the words to a song. His smile assured her that everything was fine” (Oates 6). Arnold saw Connie the night before at the
drive in movie and now the next day he is at her house and now knows every little detail about her and her family. As Connie is still young and immature hearing what he has said it didn’t creep her out because she doesn’t understand that he is not who she thinks he is. She believes that he’s still innocent and isn’t going to harm her. Like many young women that see their man of their dreams they don’t think and they just act. In this case Connie sees Arnold and his looks and instantly likes him and doesn’t care about whom he really is and what he does. Unfortunately she was unable to put his knowledge of her and his appearance together to find out who he really is.
Oates imagery of how Connie gets caught up in how looks can deceiving shows how she is losing her innocence’s. Connie and her friends go to the movies on Saturday night and they happen to notice a boy who she finds out later that his name is Arnold Friend, but as she spots him at the movies she likes how he looks and she becomes interested. The next day he happens to show up at her house and she couldn’t resist talking to him. Arnold is talking to her and being real polite and sweet talking her and yet Connie doesn’t notice that that’s not really who he is. Arnold uses his looks and music to lure Connie in. Connie sees him as a good looking guy who likes the same type of music as her and doesn’t want to find out who he really is. “ I wanta introduce myself , I’m Arnold Friend and that’s my real name and im going to be your friend honey, and inside the car’s Ellie Oscar, he’s kinda shy. He brought his transistor radio up to his shoulder and balanced it there. Now these numbers are a secret code, honey Arnold’s friend explained. He read off the numbers 33, 19, 17 and raised his eyebrows at her to see what she thought of that, but she didn’t think much of it”(Oates5). From this quote it shows how Connie was sweet talked and caught in Arnolds trap with Arnold looks and his friends radio who just happened to be listening to the same thing as her inside the house. She believes that everything is going to be all right and is tricked by his looks and his sweetness. As Connie was home alone on a nice Sunday morning she had no idea it was going to be her last. As the story goes on Connie finally gets through his looks and figures out who he really is and what he really does but at this time its too late and she is now lost in the wind.
In reading this story it displays how Oates characterization of Arnold and Connie deception of Arnold looks leads to her liking Arnold and falling into his trap. It shows how your should never judge a book by it cover and that is exactly what Connie did and ended up being taken away from her family. Connie liked the way Arnold looked and treated her. He Sweet talked her and convinced her to go with him but really he was a killer and rapist. But since Connie was still young she didn't know who to react and then this lead to her loss of innocence.
Innocence is a part of a humans life and it is up to the persons decisions to find out whether or not its going to affect there future. In some people views in innocence is freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil. At some point in everyone’s life they will eventually lose there innocence, it just depends on the choices they have made. In Joyce Carol Oates “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.” She uses characterization and imagery to show how Connie is dealing with the loss of her innocence Oates characterization of Arnold Friend shows how Connie’s perspective of Arnold and his looks leads to the deception of who he really is. Connie was at home alone one day and a car pulled into her drive way that she didn’t know, and it …show more content…
happened to be a man named Arnold. Arnold was a very charming type of guy so Connie couldn’t resist from talking to him.
Connie kept looking at him because she thought he looked familiar like she’s seen him .or talked to him before. As she was examining him she liked the way he dressed. He was wearing tight scuffed jeans, scuffed up boots; a tight white shirt to show off how muscular he was even his neck was really muscular as a result of doing hard labor or lifting. Connie was comparing him to the perfect guys she would hear about in the songs she listened to on her radio and because she was still young she had the temptation to have this guy. As Connie is one of those girls who is always looking in the mirror and making sure she looks alright her temptation to having a guy like the ones on the radio couldn’t let this one get away. “ I took a special interest in you, such a pretty girl, and found out all about you-like I know your parents and sister are gone somewhere and I know were and how long they will be gone, and I know who you were with last night, and your best friends name is Betty right? He spoke in a simple lilting voice, exactly as if he were reciting the words to a song. His smile assured her that everything was fine” (Oates 6). Arnold saw Connie the night before at the
drive in movie and now the next day he is at her house and now knows every little detail about her and her family. As Connie is still young and immature hearing what he has said it didn’t creep her out because she doesn’t understand that he is not who she thinks he is. She believes that he’s still innocent and isn’t going to harm her. Like many young women that see their man of their dreams they don’t think and they just act. In this case Connie sees Arnold and his looks and instantly likes him and doesn’t care about whom he really is and what he does. Unfortunately she was unable to put his knowledge of her and his appearance together to find out who he really is.
Oates imagery of how Connie gets caught up in how looks can deceiving shows how she is losing her innocence’s. Connie and her friends go to the movies on Saturday night and they happen to notice a boy who she finds out later that his name is Arnold Friend, but as she spots him at the movies she likes how he looks and she becomes interested. The next day he happens to show up at her house and she couldn’t resist talking to him. Arnold is talking to her and being real polite and sweet talking her and yet Connie doesn’t notice that that’s not really who he is. Arnold uses his looks and music to lure Connie in. Connie sees him as a good looking guy who likes the same type of music as her and doesn’t want to find out who he really is. “ I wanta introduce myself , I’m Arnold Friend and that’s my real name and im going to be your friend honey, and inside the car’s Ellie Oscar, he’s kinda shy. He brought his transistor radio up to his shoulder and balanced it there. Now these numbers are a secret code, honey Arnold’s friend explained. He read off the numbers 33, 19, 17 and raised his eyebrows at her to see what she thought of that, but she didn’t think much of it”(Oates5). From this quote it shows how Connie was sweet talked and caught in Arnolds trap with Arnold looks and his friends radio who just happened to be listening to the same thing as her inside the house. She believes that everything is going to be all right and is tricked by his looks and his sweetness. As Connie was home alone on a nice Sunday morning she had no idea it was going to be her last. As the story goes on Connie finally gets through his looks and figures out who he really is and what he really does but at this time its too late and she is now lost in the wind.
In reading this story it displays how Oates characterization of Arnold and Connie deception of Arnold looks leads to her liking Arnold and falling into his trap. It shows how your should never judge a book by it cover and that is exactly what Connie did and ended up being taken away from her family. Connie liked the way Arnold looked and treated her. He Sweet talked her and convinced her to go with him but really he was a killer and rapist. But since Connie was still young she didn't know who to react and then this lead to her loss of innocence.