Where are you going and where have you been characters?

Character List

  • Connie. The fifteen-year-old protagonist of the story. Connie is in the midst of an adolescent rebellion. …
  • Arnold Friend. A dangerous figure who comes to Connie’s house and threatens her. …
  • Ellie. A friend of Arnold’s. …
  • Connie’s Mother. A near-constant source of frustration for Connie. …
  • June. Connie’s older sister.

Who is the narrator in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

The first line of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? “ — “Her name was Connie “ — signals that it is being told by a third-person narrator. This narrative voice stays closely aligned to Connie’s point of view.

What is the motif in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

The most important themes in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates are independence versus control, harassment, and versions of reality. Important motifs in the short story are music, appearances, and dizziness.

What happens to Connie in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Connie is compelled to leave with him and do what he demands of her. The story ends as Connie leaves her front porch; her eventual fate is left ambiguous.”

Who is the antagonist in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Arnold Friend

Arnold Friend is Connie’s antagonist. In contrast to Connie’s innocence, youth, and femininity, Arnold is on the side of sexual violence, death, and masculinity.

Why was Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been written?

It was inspired by three Tucson, Arizona murders committed by Charles Schmid, which were profiled in Life magazine in an article written by Don Moser on March 4, 1966. Oates said that she dedicated the story to Bob Dylan because she was inspired to write it after listening to his song “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”.

Why is Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been a question?

1. It sounds like the kind of question you might get from your parents on your way out the door or coming home after your curfew – which makes sense for a story starring a teenager. 2. It could be a bigger, more metaphysical question: how did you get to this point in your life and what are you going to do now?

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been coming of age theme?

The story also fits within the coming-of-age genre as it follows its adolescent protagonist as she faces some tough decisions. She goes through a kind of initiation and transformation, which in this case is both moral and sexual.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been time and setting?

The Suburbs, Early 1960’s America. The story takes us on a tour of early 1960’s suburbia from the perspective of a teenager: drive-in restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, “ranch”-style homes.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been thesis?



Thesis: ”Where are you going, where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates uses symbolism to portray youths’ desire for independence but overall gullibility to life’s illusions.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Who is Ellie?

Arnold’s companion, Ellie spends most of his time in the car listening to a transistor radio. His great dramatic moment is when he offers to pull Connie’s telephone cord out, at which point Arnold promptly shuts him up with a barrage of insults (133). He’s even older than Arnold, in his forties.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been page count?

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780813521350
Publication date: 11/01/1994
Series: Women Writers: Texts and Contexts
Edition description: New Edition
Pages: 178

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been summarized?

It’s summer, and fifteen-year-old Connie spends much of her time lounging around the house, going out with friends, and meeting boys. She’s a little vain, spends way too much time looking at herself in the mirror, and is perpetually annoyed with her entire family—especially her mom and older sister.