Where Have You Been Where Are You Going Analysis
Miller 1
Timothy B. Miller
Prof. Nicholas Young
LITR-221
June 23, 2013
Where Have You Been, Where Are You Going: A. Friend’s View.
His name was Arnold Friend. He was getting older but still liked the young ladies around town. Arnold came from a broken home. His father had been in prison since right after his birth for some reason or another and his mother did her best to raise him courting a string of good-for-nothing losers who were in and out of her life faster than crap through a goose. He was a high school dropout who eked out a meager living by doing odd jobs and auto repairs. His daily routine took him all over the small town in the gold-colored convertible jalopy that he had fixed up with his named proudly emblazoned on the …show more content…
side. His favorite place was a hangout for the teenagers around town; a little drive-in burger joint that was run down but still a favorite spot to get some eats, mingle with friends or just be seen. The place was situated just across the highway from the town mall, a hop, skip, and a jump away for the teenage girls who had told their parents they were going to the mall to hang out or watch a movie with their friends.
Arnold and his friend Ellie, another guy from the wrong side of the tracks, got their kicks by hanging out at the burger joint and trying to get the attention of the pretty girls that normally were there. One midsummer night Arnold and Ellie were hanging out as had become their habit when they spotted a group of girls running across the highway dodging traffic heading for the restaurant.
“Hey Ellie, check out this group!” Arnold said leering at the girls coming towards them.
Miller 2
“They just keep gettin’ prettier and prettier, don’t they?” Elle said with a grin.
Arnold watched as the girls passed by his car. He picked out the tall blond in the group taking her in from head to toe. “That’s a keeper.” he remarked to Ellie and kept watching her as she entered the restaurant with her friends. Arnold noticed a boy following the girls inside. He didn’t look like much to Arnold so he dismissed him and concentrated on his plan to get the “keeper” for his own.
After a time, the group of girls exited the restaurant minus one. Arnold noticed them but waited for his “keeper” to come back outside. His patience paid off as the girl he was waiting for walked out to the parking lot lead by the boy that Arnold had dismissed earlier. She seemed quite pleased with herself and walked proudly through the parking lot much as a model would on the runway. Arnold was pleased at this because it gave him a better look at her slim, teen figure and how she had just begun to fill out into womanhood. It was then that she caught Arnold staring at her. She slit her eyes and gave him a disapproving look as she passed by but Arnold knew that this was all just an act and kept his gaze fixed on her. Sure enough, as Arnold had suspected, she took a second look. It was then that Arnold said “Gonna get you baby!” (Oates p. 334) pointing his finger directly at her. At this gesture she turned quickly around before the boy she was following noticed what she was doing.
Arnold spent the next three or four hours gathering intelligence on his “keeper” and by the end of the night he knew many things about her. Her name was Connie Wyatt. She had a sister named June who worked at the high school where she attended classes. Arnold also found out the names of some of her closest friends and everything else he could about her. Over the next few days, he repeated his conversations with other people around town, being careful
Miller 3 not to arouse any suspicions about why he was so interested in this girl and her family and friends. In his interviews he discovered that her family had planned to attend a barbeque this coming Sunday at her aunt’s house and that Connie was none too thrilled about the prospect and did not plan on attending. Arnold saw his chance and started to plan to surprise Connie at her house this Sunday when her family was away.
When Sunday came, Arnold picked up Ellie and drove the five miles from his place out to her house on the outskirts of town. Connie’s house sat far back off the main road and had a long gravel driveway. Before turning onto the driveway, Arnold had Ellie go over to the other side of the road and check to make sure the family car was gone. Ellie crossed the road taking up position behind a large oak tree where he could clearly see Connie’s house and confirmed that the family car was indeed gone. He sprinted back across the road, told Arnold the coast was clear, and hopped over the door into the passenger seat.
Arnold turned up the driveway and hearing the gravel crunching under his car tires he slowed to make his approach all the more noticeable to Connie. Even from this distance, Arnold could clearly hear that Connie had the radio on and was listening to the Bobby King show, a Sunday afternoon radio show that was a favorite with teens. Arnold had Ellie tune his transistor radio to the same station as they drove up to Connie’s house.
As he approached the side door, Arnold gave four short taps on the horn to signal Connie of his arrival. Connie appeared at the door, her hair freshly washed hair still clinging seductively to her bright green blouse. It was Arnold who, with a grin, broke the silence between them.
“I ain’t late am I?” he said.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Connie shot back.
Miller 4
“Toldja I’d be out, didn’t I?”
“I don’t even know who you are.” Connie said trying to keep a disinterested tone to her voice (Oates p. 336).
Arnold paused for a moment assessing her body language and noticed that she was not retreating from him as she dangled her toes out the screen door that stood partway open between them. He pressed on.
“You wanta come for a ride?” (Oates p. 336) he said as he noticed a little smirk of a smile come over Connie’s face as she let her hair fall over one shoulder.
“Don’tcha like my car? New paint job,” he said (Oates p. 336). He noticed this statement did not interest her and he decided to change tactics.
“Hey!”
“What?” Connie answered.
“You’re cute” (Oates p. 336).
With this statement Arnold noticed that Connie was getting a fidgety, pretending to chase flies away from her head. He asked her again if she wanted to come for a ride with him to which she answered disgustedly, “Look, I don’t even know who you are” (Oates p. 336). At seeing this Arnold changed his tactics yet again.
“Hey, Ellie’s got a radio, see. Mine broke down” (Oates p. 336). As he had planned Connie noticed that it was the same radio station that she was listening to in the house.
“Bobby King?” she inquired.
“I listen to him all the time. I think he’s great.” Arnold said realizing that he had found his “in” with Connie.
Miller 5
“He’s kind of great,” Connie said reluctantly (Oates p. 336).
At this point Arnold pushed the point. “Listen, that guy’s great. He knows where the action is” (Oates p. 336). Arnold looked up and noticed a blush rising in Connie’s cheeks. She seemed to be staring at him now and he realized that she had caught her reflection in his sunglasses. Her gaze intrigued Arnold and after a few seconds Connie broke the silence.
“What’s all that stuff painted on your car?” she said.
“Can’tcha read it?” (Oates p. 336) Arnold said stepping slowly and purposely from his car like one of those TV models that pointed at the advertisers products and smiled a lot.
Arnold pointed out his name, written in black pitch-like letters to set it off from the gold body, “This here is my name, to begin with,” Arnold said.
“I wanta introduce myself, I’m Arnold Friend and that’s my real name and I’m gonna be your friend, honey” (Oates p. 337). Connie then noticed a dent in the left rear fender and around it was written, on the gleaming gold background: DONE BY CRAZY WOMAN DRIVER (Oates p. 337). Connie laughed at seeing that. Arnold, pleased at her laughter, then looked up at her. “Around the other side’s a lot more—you wanta come and see them?” (Oates, p. 337)
Connie suddenly started to look apprehensive to Arnold. She began to disengage with him and he knew that he had to do something to distract her. When Connie told Arnold she could not go with him because she had “things to do” (Oates p. 337) Arnold started to laugh and slap his thighs as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the whole world. While Arnold was in his fit of laughter, Connie began to notice Arnold’s body; the way his jeans fit tightly, his muscular build and she found a strange familiarity in his features. This boy intrigued her and she did not understand why.
Miller …show more content…
6
After Arnold’s fit of laughter subsided and Connie came to realize that it was all a fake. Arnold then pressed on with his quest to get Connie to come for a ride with him. He revealed to Connie his discoveries about her through his clandestine inquiries including details of where her family was today and exactly what they were doing. Hearing all this sent a chill over Connie. Arnold began to get impatient at Connie’s refusal to come with him and opted for the direct approach.
“Don’tcha know it’s Sunday all day?
(Oates p. 339) Why don’tcha come on out and just go for a ride?” At this Connie protested again and claimed she had “things to do” which made Arnold change his jovial tone to a more flat, onerous one.
“Connie, don’t fool around with me. I mean—I mean, don’t fool around” (Oates p. 339). Arnold began to seethe as he talked and this caused Connie to retreat into the house.
“If you don’t leave I am going to call the police!” Connie strained to keep her voice level but the fear was slowly rising within her. Arnold stepped up to the screen door and leaned close so he could see her inside. “Now we both know that it will take more than 20 minutes for the police to get here and by that time we will be long gone Connie.” Arnold’s tone was no longer jovial or joking, it was deadly serious.
“What do you want?” (Oates p. 341) Connie asked the fear now apparent in her voice.
“Isn’t it apparent to you by now Connie, I want you… and I am not about to take no for an answer.” Arnold voice had lost all traces of geniality by this
point.
“What if I called my father? He’s only a few minutes away.” Connie whispered trying to sound brave.
Miller 7
Arnold then spoke in a tone that was quietly calm and all the more menacing, “Then I’d have to kill him and your entire family.” Arnold could feel the anger rising in him but realized that he needed to remain calm if he was to get what he wanted, namely Connie.
Connie broke down and began to sob. “If I go with you, will you not harm my family?” Arnold nodded in agreement and the smile returned to his face. He spoke now in a much softer, gentler tone. “Connie honey, you just get up now and gather yourself. I will wait for you here.” Connie arose, wiped the tears from her face, and began to walk slowly toward the door. She did not know what her ultimate fate would be but she knew that she had to do what she was doing for the sake of her family.
Miller 8
Work Cited
Oates, Joyce Carol. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 333-344. e-Book.
Timothy B. Miller
Prof. Nicholas Young
LITR-221
June 23, 2013
Where Have You Been, Where Are You Going: A. Friend’s View.
His name was Arnold Friend. He was getting older but still liked the young ladies around town. Arnold came from a broken home. His father had been in prison since right after his birth for some reason or another and his mother did her best to raise him courting a string of good-for-nothing losers who were in and out of her life faster than crap through a goose. He was a high school dropout who eked out a meager living by doing odd jobs and auto repairs. His daily routine took him all over the small town in the gold-colored convertible jalopy that he had fixed up with his named proudly emblazoned on the …show more content…
side. His favorite place was a hangout for the teenagers around town; a little drive-in burger joint that was run down but still a favorite spot to get some eats, mingle with friends or just be seen. The place was situated just across the highway from the town mall, a hop, skip, and a jump away for the teenage girls who had told their parents they were going to the mall to hang out or watch a movie with their friends.
Arnold and his friend Ellie, another guy from the wrong side of the tracks, got their kicks by hanging out at the burger joint and trying to get the attention of the pretty girls that normally were there. One midsummer night Arnold and Ellie were hanging out as had become their habit when they spotted a group of girls running across the highway dodging traffic heading for the restaurant.
“Hey Ellie, check out this group!” Arnold said leering at the girls coming towards them.
Miller 2
“They just keep gettin’ prettier and prettier, don’t they?” Elle said with a grin.
Arnold watched as the girls passed by his car. He picked out the tall blond in the group taking her in from head to toe. “That’s a keeper.” he remarked to Ellie and kept watching her as she entered the restaurant with her friends. Arnold noticed a boy following the girls inside. He didn’t look like much to Arnold so he dismissed him and concentrated on his plan to get the “keeper” for his own.
After a time, the group of girls exited the restaurant minus one. Arnold noticed them but waited for his “keeper” to come back outside. His patience paid off as the girl he was waiting for walked out to the parking lot lead by the boy that Arnold had dismissed earlier. She seemed quite pleased with herself and walked proudly through the parking lot much as a model would on the runway. Arnold was pleased at this because it gave him a better look at her slim, teen figure and how she had just begun to fill out into womanhood. It was then that she caught Arnold staring at her. She slit her eyes and gave him a disapproving look as she passed by but Arnold knew that this was all just an act and kept his gaze fixed on her. Sure enough, as Arnold had suspected, she took a second look. It was then that Arnold said “Gonna get you baby!” (Oates p. 334) pointing his finger directly at her. At this gesture she turned quickly around before the boy she was following noticed what she was doing.
Arnold spent the next three or four hours gathering intelligence on his “keeper” and by the end of the night he knew many things about her. Her name was Connie Wyatt. She had a sister named June who worked at the high school where she attended classes. Arnold also found out the names of some of her closest friends and everything else he could about her. Over the next few days, he repeated his conversations with other people around town, being careful
Miller 3 not to arouse any suspicions about why he was so interested in this girl and her family and friends. In his interviews he discovered that her family had planned to attend a barbeque this coming Sunday at her aunt’s house and that Connie was none too thrilled about the prospect and did not plan on attending. Arnold saw his chance and started to plan to surprise Connie at her house this Sunday when her family was away.
When Sunday came, Arnold picked up Ellie and drove the five miles from his place out to her house on the outskirts of town. Connie’s house sat far back off the main road and had a long gravel driveway. Before turning onto the driveway, Arnold had Ellie go over to the other side of the road and check to make sure the family car was gone. Ellie crossed the road taking up position behind a large oak tree where he could clearly see Connie’s house and confirmed that the family car was indeed gone. He sprinted back across the road, told Arnold the coast was clear, and hopped over the door into the passenger seat.
Arnold turned up the driveway and hearing the gravel crunching under his car tires he slowed to make his approach all the more noticeable to Connie. Even from this distance, Arnold could clearly hear that Connie had the radio on and was listening to the Bobby King show, a Sunday afternoon radio show that was a favorite with teens. Arnold had Ellie tune his transistor radio to the same station as they drove up to Connie’s house.
As he approached the side door, Arnold gave four short taps on the horn to signal Connie of his arrival. Connie appeared at the door, her hair freshly washed hair still clinging seductively to her bright green blouse. It was Arnold who, with a grin, broke the silence between them.
“I ain’t late am I?” he said.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Connie shot back.
Miller 4
“Toldja I’d be out, didn’t I?”
“I don’t even know who you are.” Connie said trying to keep a disinterested tone to her voice (Oates p. 336).
Arnold paused for a moment assessing her body language and noticed that she was not retreating from him as she dangled her toes out the screen door that stood partway open between them. He pressed on.
“You wanta come for a ride?” (Oates p. 336) he said as he noticed a little smirk of a smile come over Connie’s face as she let her hair fall over one shoulder.
“Don’tcha like my car? New paint job,” he said (Oates p. 336). He noticed this statement did not interest her and he decided to change tactics.
“Hey!”
“What?” Connie answered.
“You’re cute” (Oates p. 336).
With this statement Arnold noticed that Connie was getting a fidgety, pretending to chase flies away from her head. He asked her again if she wanted to come for a ride with him to which she answered disgustedly, “Look, I don’t even know who you are” (Oates p. 336). At seeing this Arnold changed his tactics yet again.
“Hey, Ellie’s got a radio, see. Mine broke down” (Oates p. 336). As he had planned Connie noticed that it was the same radio station that she was listening to in the house.
“Bobby King?” she inquired.
“I listen to him all the time. I think he’s great.” Arnold said realizing that he had found his “in” with Connie.
Miller 5
“He’s kind of great,” Connie said reluctantly (Oates p. 336).
At this point Arnold pushed the point. “Listen, that guy’s great. He knows where the action is” (Oates p. 336). Arnold looked up and noticed a blush rising in Connie’s cheeks. She seemed to be staring at him now and he realized that she had caught her reflection in his sunglasses. Her gaze intrigued Arnold and after a few seconds Connie broke the silence.
“What’s all that stuff painted on your car?” she said.
“Can’tcha read it?” (Oates p. 336) Arnold said stepping slowly and purposely from his car like one of those TV models that pointed at the advertisers products and smiled a lot.
Arnold pointed out his name, written in black pitch-like letters to set it off from the gold body, “This here is my name, to begin with,” Arnold said.
“I wanta introduce myself, I’m Arnold Friend and that’s my real name and I’m gonna be your friend, honey” (Oates p. 337). Connie then noticed a dent in the left rear fender and around it was written, on the gleaming gold background: DONE BY CRAZY WOMAN DRIVER (Oates p. 337). Connie laughed at seeing that. Arnold, pleased at her laughter, then looked up at her. “Around the other side’s a lot more—you wanta come and see them?” (Oates, p. 337)
Connie suddenly started to look apprehensive to Arnold. She began to disengage with him and he knew that he had to do something to distract her. When Connie told Arnold she could not go with him because she had “things to do” (Oates p. 337) Arnold started to laugh and slap his thighs as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the whole world. While Arnold was in his fit of laughter, Connie began to notice Arnold’s body; the way his jeans fit tightly, his muscular build and she found a strange familiarity in his features. This boy intrigued her and she did not understand why.
Miller …show more content…
6
After Arnold’s fit of laughter subsided and Connie came to realize that it was all a fake. Arnold then pressed on with his quest to get Connie to come for a ride with him. He revealed to Connie his discoveries about her through his clandestine inquiries including details of where her family was today and exactly what they were doing. Hearing all this sent a chill over Connie. Arnold began to get impatient at Connie’s refusal to come with him and opted for the direct approach.
“Don’tcha know it’s Sunday all day?
(Oates p. 339) Why don’tcha come on out and just go for a ride?” At this Connie protested again and claimed she had “things to do” which made Arnold change his jovial tone to a more flat, onerous one.
“Connie, don’t fool around with me. I mean—I mean, don’t fool around” (Oates p. 339). Arnold began to seethe as he talked and this caused Connie to retreat into the house.
“If you don’t leave I am going to call the police!” Connie strained to keep her voice level but the fear was slowly rising within her. Arnold stepped up to the screen door and leaned close so he could see her inside. “Now we both know that it will take more than 20 minutes for the police to get here and by that time we will be long gone Connie.” Arnold’s tone was no longer jovial or joking, it was deadly serious.
“What do you want?” (Oates p. 341) Connie asked the fear now apparent in her voice.
“Isn’t it apparent to you by now Connie, I want you… and I am not about to take no for an answer.” Arnold voice had lost all traces of geniality by this
point.
“What if I called my father? He’s only a few minutes away.” Connie whispered trying to sound brave.
Miller 7
Arnold then spoke in a tone that was quietly calm and all the more menacing, “Then I’d have to kill him and your entire family.” Arnold could feel the anger rising in him but realized that he needed to remain calm if he was to get what he wanted, namely Connie.
Connie broke down and began to sob. “If I go with you, will you not harm my family?” Arnold nodded in agreement and the smile returned to his face. He spoke now in a much softer, gentler tone. “Connie honey, you just get up now and gather yourself. I will wait for you here.” Connie arose, wiped the tears from her face, and began to walk slowly toward the door. She did not know what her ultimate fate would be but she knew that she had to do what she was doing for the sake of her family.
Miller 8
Work Cited
Oates, Joyce Carol. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 333-344. e-Book.