Oates seems to be pointing a finger at modern culture. By counting backwards in the Old Testament of the Bible, 33 books, you will arrive at the book of Judges. She was pretty taken in by this character who was described to have … is openly proclaiming “dear adolescents, run away from this cruel trap”. This time the boy—later revealed as Arnold Friend—has a predatorial presence, and the way he speaks to Connie is casually threatening. Oates based the basic story on the serial killer Charles Schmid. The real life criminal Charles Schmid also played a role in the development of Arnold Friend's character. -Graham S. “Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. The best study guide to Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)...right to your inbox. Connie asks him about his age. Friend has made attempts to disguise not only his true appearance but his intentions from Connie by adopting the style of teenage boys so that he will seem familiar and unthreatening. Where Have You Been?’ is Oates’ most critically discussed work, which became an instant classic in 1966. Instant downloads of all 1368 LitChart PDFs And I'll come inside you where it's all secret and you'll give in to me and you'll love me—". The driver introduces her to his friend, Ellie Oscar and invites her for a ride. When Friend comes to Connie and tells her that he knows she doesn't know what a lover is, he purposefully both scares her and makes her understand she is moving from a world of innocence to experience. Rock music is playing in all of the important scenes of the story. Interviews with Oates reveal that she was influenced by Dylan's song "Its All Over Now Baby Blue.". The dial tone stopped. Arnold persistently insists on Connie accompanying them on a drive. and you’ll give in to me and you’ll love me …“. She recognizes the driver to be the same unpleasant guy. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The story is set in the 1960s’ America, post-World War II. Where Have You Been? “That's a good girl. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”, “This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. She asks wise-enough questions regarding his age, and not going over to the other side of the car. Teachers and parents! Teachers and parents! Friend seems adamant that Connie leave the house of her own free will, opting to slowly manipulate her and emotionally terrorize her rather than bring her outside by physical force. Connie is not entirely taken in by his attempts at casual conversation and intuits there is somethings strange happening. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Just like any teenager she sneaks around, going … When she went back to Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, her mother's grief caused the fall and winter seasons. Hades complied but he tricked Persephone into eating a pomegranate before she left. Much like the PIed Piper, Friend is able to lure Connie out of the house and to her probable death using only his words and the strange sounds of the music that was playing both in the house and in his car. The code, 33, 19, 17 has at least two meanings. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. She combined inspiration from the music of Bob Dylan along with her understanding of modern culture and society. She shrugs it off as a creepy guy. Teenagers were highly mesmerized by popular rock bands and movies. Friend refers to himself as Connie's lover, which is similar to the line "Your lover who just walked out the door.". Connie is a starry-eyed 15-year-old girl. Connie presents a different version of herself when she’s home and when she’s out with her friends. Arnold Friend was saying from the door, “That's a good girl. 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. We hope you are enjoying Penlighten! As a fifteen-year-old girl who struggles to get along with her family and enjoys nothing more than spending time with her friends and flirting with boys at the plaza, Connie is highly attuned to music and the affect it has on her. However, she is confronted by Arnold Friend who makes her look at adulthood more closely, thus forcing her to leave her childhood and silly adolescent fantasies about love and romance behind her, and to step into realities of a mature woman. Oates may have drawn on the Persephone myth for her short story. "Where Are You Going? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I would personally call this story a life-changing literary work. He now becomes more explicit in his intentions, telling Connie things she can’t ignore or misinterpret. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Connie is so unfortunate to leave her mother house to live with a cruel man who can never offer her a safe shelter. Thus, he ends forcing her without even laying a finger on her. “I know that too. I really enjoyed reading this. Not only does the presence of music seem to conjure these things, but its absence also seems to signal a degree of calm, and there is a sense of order being restored as Connie and her friend are safely heading home, beyond the reach of music and boys alike. Connie is so shaken and traumatized she is unable to make a telephone call, and so it seems that Friend has already done sufficient emotional damage to Connie to stop her from acting in her own best interests. Put the phone back.” […] She picked it up and put it back. Just like any teenager she sneaks around, going to a drive-in restaurant to meet boys rather than to the movies like she told her family. Those were the days when the American dream and the American chase for materialism was questioned from all possible social and moral angles. The guy gestures something with his finger and says, “Gonna get you baby“. Although it depends on your translation, the verse reads: "And when he raised his eyes, he saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?”. When it goes against his will, he indirectly threatens to hurt her family if she didn’t join them. In the myth of Persephone, the young goddess and daughter of Zeus and Demeter is kidnapped by god of the underworld, Hades. Comparing Connie to the mythical Persephone helps the reader to understand her place, her actions and who Arnold Friend really seems to be. The significance of this act meant that she would have to return to the underworld. on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Furthermore, the promise he wants her to uphold puts her in an impossible situation: although she is still inside her house and for the moment safe, she remains unable to seek the help that could bring this encounter to a close. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our, Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Harper Collins edition of.