illustration of a young girl, Connie, reflected in the sunglasses of a man, Arnold Friend

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

by Joyce Carol Oates

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Arnold Friend's car in "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" symbolizes temptation, deception, and the sinister side of freedom. To Connie, it initially represents the unknown and her vanity....

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

In Joyce Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Arnold Friend symbolizes evil and manipulates Connie through psychological threats, exploiting her youthful vanity and desire for...

7 educator answers

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Joyce Carol Oates's short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" uses allegory and irony to explore themes of innocence, temptation, and identity. The story draws parallels to the Garden...

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Arnold Friend in Joyce Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" symbolizes evil and danger, often interpreted as a devil-like figure. His name suggests "an old fiend," hinting at...

8 educator answers

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

That's a very good question. I certainly interpret Arnold Friend as an antichrist (opposite of Christ) figure. One might even say that he is satanic. The Bible tells us that Satan can appear...

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Arnold Friend's physical description is deliberately presented by Oates as being similar to that of Bob Dylan. This is not surprising given that the book is actually dedicated to Bob Dylan and that...

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

There is much about Joyce Carol Oates’ short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? that suggests a strong religious undertone, from Oates’ reference to Connie’s family ritualistically...

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

There's an interesting discussion of the symbolism of music on the following page: http://www.enotes.com/where-are/q-and-a/discuss-symbolic-importance-music-story-17105 In addition to this...

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Although Arnold Friend is modeled after Bob Dylan, he is not Dylan; instead, Arnold, represents the pop culture, the edgy persona, and the disturbing quality of music that can seduce its unthinking...

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” shows how women are oppressed in a patriarchal society by showing that women have little agency of their own, as Arnold Friend threatens Connie’s...

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