Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Character Analysis

“Where are you going, where have you been” by Joyce Carol Oates In the short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” author Joyce Carol Oates depicts the main character as a fifteen year old daydreamer. Her name is Connie, and she is obsessed with her appearance. Connie’s mother constantly teases her about looking in the mirror and always obsessing over her looks. Connie believes her mother does this because her own looks have faded. Connie has an older sister, June. June is constantly praised by her mother. Connie does look up to her sister in one way. She admires how her sister goes out with her friends. Connie’s best friends’ father took them to a shopping plaza and dropped them off. Instead of shopping, they walked to
a drive-in. Connie left to get food with her friend Eddie. While Connie and Eddie were leaving, Connie saw a man staring at her. She turned back around and saw him moving his fingers and didn’t pay much attention to it.
The man mumbled, “Gonna get you, baby,” as they walked away. One Sunday, Connie’s family planned to go to a barbeque. Connie refused to go. After her family left, Connie started to daydream. A little while later she heard a car come up the driveway. She got scared and was worried about how she looked. She didn’t recognize the two boys and the car at first, but she eventually recognized the driver. He was the same boy she had seen at the drive in. The boy was trying to influence Connie in to getting in the car with him. Connie refused to go with him. Connie kept telling him that she didn’t know who he was. He introduced himself as Arnold Friend, and he introduced the person in the passenger seat as Ellie. His name was written on his car amongst many other things. He said he knew all about her friends and family. Connie wanted to know why she had never met him, if he knew all her friends. Arnold pointed out that in fact she had seen him at the drive in and that he knew everyone. Arnold explained that the X he drew in the air at the drive in was his sign. Connie asked Arnold how old he was, realizing he was much older than she was. She looked at Ellie and saw that he looked like,” a forty year
old baby”. Connie told him they had to leave. Arnold replied by telling her exactly what her family was doing and that they won’t be coming home to get her. He told Connie that she is his lover and that she will be coming with them. Connie told him she was going to call the police. Arnold points out that he could break down the door or set her house on fire. He also tells her that if she doesn’t come out of the house, he’d hurt her family. Connie refused and ran to the phone. She was so fearful, that when she picked up the phone all she could do was scream for her mother. As she screamed, “she felt as if her breathe was jerking back and forth… as if Arnold Friend was stabbing her . . . again and again.” She came too terrified, wet backed, and against the wall. From the door, he tells her to come outside. Connie feels as though she is watching herself walk outside into Arnold’s arms. He tells her where they are going and makes a comment about her eyes. She had never recognized the land before now,” she just knew that she was going to it.”