Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?.
Throughout the short story, "Where are you going? Where have you been?", Joyce Carol Oates uses a story of a teenage girl coming of age in the mid 1960s, which was difficult in the fact that people expected a certain outcome out of certain people, and a story about parents denial to believe what their kids are actually doing when they go out. "The father of Connie's best girlfriend drove the girls the three miles to town.and when he picked them up again at eleven he never bothered to ask what they had done" (Oates pg.388). Connie, the main character, is a very naive fifteen year old who realizes the way she is living her life only benefits herself, and doesn't care what effect it has on anyone else. Oates uses symbolism and characters to help to show the growing up of a teenage girl, and the impact family has on her. .
Connie's rebellious behavior is a shock to her family during the time period in which the story was written. The denial that her family is in is just another way to tell the reader that parents need to be more cautious of what goes on in the teenage world, and the danger that might follow. Connie often lies about where she is going, and what she has done, and this lying puts Connie's character in danger. Her families lack of involvement shows how clueless a family can be when their daughter is in the beginning stages of danger. Connie is very vain and selfish, and she believes that all the young men interested in her are giving her good attention, and she will never be put in a position that causes harm to her. .
Oates uses Arnold Friend's character to show the impact he has on Connie. When Connie first see's him at the drive-in restaurant, he gives a sly smile, almost as if he knows, that she too, is going to fall into his trap. Arnold's character knows what Connie wants, and that is attention, loyalty, and .
stability. He is dangerous in his actions, but comes off as harmless.