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Connie, the main character in Joyce Carol Oates Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been is a fifteen-year-old girl, just realizing her beauty. It is summer vacation, and she is spending her time either with boys or daydreaming about them. Connie is a typical teenage girl with a desperate need for independence. She does not get along with her mother, and her father is seldom around.
He works a great deal of the time, and when he comes home, he likes to eat and go to bed. Connie has a girlfriend who she enjoys going to the mall with. While at the mall, the girls like to meet boys and watch movies. It is a place where the girls can express themselves in a way different from the ways in which they portray themselves at home. The storys climax begins the day after one of Connie's trips to the mall. Her family has gone to a barbecue across town, and she is alone in the house.
The events of the story lead up to a terrifying confrontation and abduction of Connie by one of the boys she had met the night before. She had never spoken with the boy before, but she did enjoy the ways he had looked at her. In reading Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? readers may question Connie's judgment at times and ask whether or not her actions contribute to the troubles Connie is forced to endure at the end of the story. Connie can be labeled as an average teenage girl: vulnerable, carefree, desirous, and curious.
She has just discovered the power of her own beauty, but hasnt yet realized that power, in any form, must be controlled. Connie has long, dark blond hair. She is petite and seems confident in her looks, yet everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home (par. 5). Connie loves to have boys look at her. To Connie, beauty is everything. Even within her own household, Connie feels that her mother, who she is in constant conflict with, favors Connie over her sister June because she was prettier (par. 11).
Connie is fixated on her beauty and the role beauty plays in life. The first thing she thinks about when the two boys that she has never seen before pull up her driveway is how she looks. Some may say that because of the lack of control Connie possesses over her beauty, Arnold Friend, her eventual abductor, is attracted to her. He sees her naivety and sets forth to capture it. Like many teenagers, music plays a large role in Connie's life. She drifts off into daydreams and desires when listening to music.
It plays in her head, even when there is no music around. She dreams of boys and love, sweet, gentle, the way it was in movies and promised in songs (par. 12). When Arnold and his friend Ellie first pull up into Connie's driveway, the music on the radio has an effect on her. Like many teenagers, Connie is intrigued by the music.
It allows a connection between her and the strangers in her driveway. She becomes interested in the boys. They listen to the same station on Ellie's transmitter radio that Connie plays in the house. Although she has never spoken with them before, Connie feels more comfortable and less tense as she begins to listen to the music from Ellie's transmitter radio and the music coming from inside her home as they blend into one sound. Because of Connie's relaxing state, she allows herself to become intrigued with Arnold and Ellie. In doing so, readers may believe that Connie gives Arnold the opportunity to empower her with the conversation that leaves her feeling helpless and afraid.
Arnold is very insistent on having Connie come for a ride with him and Ellie. Midway through their conversation, Connie begins to recognize many little things about Arnold that doesnt all add up. Arnold's car has outdated sayings written on it. Arnold speaks with outdated lingo, yet he dresses like all the boys Connie's age dress. After asking about the boys ages, Connie notices a change in the boys attitude. It is possible that Connie perhaps should have just locked all the doors and called the police.
Instead, she keeps answering their questions and threatening to call the police rather than actually doing it. Ellie speaks up for the first time, asking Arnold if he should cut the wires for the phone line in order to ensure that Connie can not call the police. Arnold begins to play head games with Connie. In doing so, he makes her feel helpless and afraid for not only her life, but also the lives of those in her family. Arnold begins to reveal to Connie what his intentions with her truly are. Ill come inside you where its all secret and youll give into me and youll love me (par. 104).
At this point, Connie still does not run away. She remains paralyzed with fear. Connie has missed her chances for escape, and no longer is physically able to do so after hearing this. After a long emotional struggle, Connie can no longer withstand the terror. She runs to the telephone, only to pick it up without having the courage or the strength to dial. Connie screams out in frustration, completely giving up.
Connie cries for her mother. She is terrified for her own life and about what will happen to her. Connie obeys everything Arnold says from this point on. She leaves with the two boys, and the story ends. I was surprised with this ending.
The reader is left uncertain of what will actually happen to Connie. Does she rebuild her strength and finally escape? Chances are that she doesnt. It is not certain if Connie will ever return to her life. It is not certain that Connie could have prevented this tragedy from occurring in the first place.
Connie had many chances to escape or avoid the fate that awaits her. Rather than ignoring the boys or calling the police at the first sign of danger, Connie waits. She slowly becomes hysterical and loses control over herself and the situation. I dont believe that Connie is prepared to deal with the situation she is dealt with. Connie receives little attention at home and therefore craves attention from boys. Teenagers at Connie's age search for connections and companionship while evolving into young adults, discovering the powers of independence.
Connie is searching for the good in Arnold as she is enjoying the attention he gives her. It is possible that in this state of wonder, Connie may not realize she is in danger until control over the situation is lost. Readers are left waiting for Connie to be rescued, fighting for her to be safe. One would like to think that she should have and could have gotten out of the situation had she not have been so nave. However, the fear and anxiety Joyce Carol Oates portrays through Connie's character leaves Connie unable to protect herself from harm. Although this may seem unreasonable, could you be absolutely sure of what you would do in such a situation?
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