Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Summary

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Joyce Carol Oates is a prolific author of works in Literature, Film, Poetry and Stage. Her most famous short story, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, has been studied for decades by critics whom theories on the story, and by extension it's ending, range from religious, fantastic, dreamlike to unflinching realistic. The story itself, which details the activities of an teenage girl and her horrifying encounter with dangerous strangers, showcases a trademark in Oates stories of violence and a very dark atmosphere. I feels as though the story, due to its ending, can be interpreted in any way that can be fully supported within proper context of the story and as such, I see the story as more of a trickster-gone-bad-and-now-its-became-pure-horror…show more content…
A. R Coulthard states that there is no grand mystery about the story since it's inspired from reality. Arnold Friend was inspired from Charles Schimid; The pied piper of Tuscon. A serial killer whom lure women out to the desert to kill them. Charles also stuff his shoes, listen to rock and roll, and finally he even droven a gold colored car. What even more amazing is the fact that one of the murders he had an accomplice. Connie was inspired by Alleen Rowe; a 15 year old girl who before being lured away mirrored Connie's actions in the story right down to washing her hair and being left alone in her own home. Coulthard remark that Connie doesn't represent anything other than being a self-absorbed teenager who just so happen to have been targeted by Arnold. Arnold himself in that regard doesn't have any special powers; everything he knew about Connie could of came from doing a little leg work and putting on an act to impress her. The only thing he represent in truth is fear and danger. Finally, the numbers on Arnold's car has been given a realistic interpretations as well. If added up (33 19 17) they equal sixty-nine which is a sexual expression which simply means Arnold is a
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