Who are you?
The story “Where are you going; Where have you been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is a popular story among the younger college audience. It is without a doubt considered a classis, as it has stood the test of time and been passed down for almost 50 years since its original publication. Not only is it a marvel because of its lengthy existence in schools around the country, but also because of the lessons that it teaches and how they can still relate to people in today’s changed society. Miraculously, different readers can find different meanings whilst reading the same story, however it is most certain that the moral of the story is based around deception.
First of all, Connie was a self-absorbed 15-year old girl that - without a doubt - believed she was beautiful. Her mother would often scold her for spending so much time being distracted by her own looks, but in Connie’s eyes, “[H]er [mothers] looks were gone and that was why she was always after Connie.” (389). It was apparent that Connie knew she was beautiful and her life was strung around it. Her room being a mess and her priorities even messier; the relationship between her and her mother was not as strong as it should have been. In spite of this, she turned to her friends for an outlet.
A few times a week, Connie would meet up with her friends to escape her life of boredom and what she thought was a sense of jealousy at home. Instead of going to the movies like they said, they would lie and go to the local diner and hang out with other teenage boys. Her mother was constantly worried about her, so her friend’s less worried parent was the perfect target to lie to. She was a very confused adolescent, and so she was said to have two sides to her. “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home: her walk that could be childlike and bobbing, or languid enough to make anyone think she was hearing music in her head…” (389). She even dressed differently when she was not at home so that she would draw more attention to herself. She was –with or without knowing it- presenting herself as a young sex symbol to the world around her. She attracted boys both purposely, such as Eddie in the diner, and on accident, like Arnold Friend. While dressed to impress with the sweet innocence of a child cloaked underneath a fake smile, she and her friends were a dastardly duo. However, this was not her only means of deception.
Upon arriving home from her nights of fun, she would of course have to carry on casual conversation with her family. At one point, her sister June asks her how about the movie that she had supposedly seen and Connie simply replies that it was “So-so.” (390). Immediately after this, her mother also asks her a question regarding another girl and Connie quickly dismisses her resemblance with the girl, then goes on to bash her mother for being a fool to believe her. The author writes that, “Her mother was so simple, Connie thought, that it was maybe cruel to fool her so much.” (391). Connie had obviously developed a liking for her second lifestyle and has accepted the use of deception into her life in order to achieve it. However, the tables turn when her mysterious observer, Arnold Friend, shows up to her house while her family is away at a barbeque. When he arrives, he already knows her name and her family’s whereabouts. Connie describes him as a man in his thirties, although Arnold claims to her that he is the same age as she. He tries to seduce her into his vehicle with the same music that she favors and also tells her that, “This is your day set aside for a ride with me and you know it [.]” (393). On top of his sweet talk, he also gives mixed emotions when throwing occasional threats like, “Soon as you touch the phone I don’t need to keep my promise and can come inside. You won’t want that.” (397). Arnold eventually deceives Connie into believing that her only option is to go with him for the safety of her family and possibly even herself. Although she does not know what will happen when she goes with Arnold, she knows what he has threatened thus far and does not want it to happen. The story is left open-ended with the implication that Connie will be raped and killed, especially after Arnold’s dark assertion to do, “Just two things, or maybe three,” (398) with Connie.
Oates’s story is heavily based around the concept of deception. Although her bedroom and priorities are a mess alike, Connie begins the story by using her personal beauty to deceive boys into liking her. In order to continue the trend, she lies to her mother and sister so that she can still go out with her friends and have fun. When her mother suspects that other girls her age are trouble, Connie lies again to dismiss any resemblance of trouble with her name. She uses lying as a way to get what she wants, but in the end it comes back to haunt her. Oates is clearly trying to send the message that although lying and deceiving people may provide you with a temporary release to your problems; it will always catch up to you and make your life a living hell.