Wher Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Essay, Research Paper

A famous short story is ?Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?? by Joyce Carol Oates. This stunning story describes how the seemingly perfect girl, Connie, is terrorized by the most abnormal man, Arnold Friend. Some would argue that he is the devil. Any argument that Arnold Friend is Satan can be used to say he is nothing more than a psychotic serial killer. While this prospect is horrific, it is considerably less disturbing than the devil knocking at your door. Though his persuasive behavior, unusual appearance and almost omniscient knowledge of Connie and her life are eerie they are explainable in the natural world.

From the moment Arnold Friend and Connie see each other he appears to have a kind of magnetism that she can not help but notice, ?He stared at her and then his lips widened in a grin. Connie slit her eyes at him and turned away, but she couldn?t help glancing back??(363). His bravado is just one of the facets of his control over Connie. When he and his friend pull up to the house ?the horn sounded four short taps, as if this were a signal Connie knew?(366) and asks Connie if he was late. This kind of confidence would probably be attractive on some level to Connie who was used to the sweet gentle ways of the boys her own age. Serial killers are often described as very charming and magnetic people. Arnold seems to be implying that he and Connie already have an established romantic relationship through the generous use of endearments like ?sweetheart? and ?honey? he uses when talking to her. Perhaps as an attractive girl, Connie is used to this kind of talk but she does not seem to care as the omniscient narrator describes after Arnold tells her she is cute, “she pretended to fidget? (366) and ?She couldn?t decide if she liked him or not?(367). Her indecision could be explained that she rather liked having her ego stroked.

It is widely thought that the devil would lie in any given situation, the same can not be said for Arnold Friend. In fact he makes it a point to tell Connie ?I always tell the truth and I promise you this: I ain?t coming in that house after you?(373). He never goes back on this promise. This shows Connie a direct consequence of her actions. If she picks up the phone, he will enter the house. Believing he does not lie directly influences her actions. When she picks up the phone, terror he has instilled in her causes her to drop it. Arnold is immediately there to reassure her, letting her know that what she is doing is right. He never gives her a moment to think by herself. He constantly states that she is his lover and is doing the smart and good thing by protecting her family. With this combination the fifteen-year-old Connie does not stand a chance. What he is saying is important and how he says it is just as important. Almost every time he speaks it is in a singsong voice or lilting whisper or as if he?s saying an ?incantation?. While this is certainly creepier than if he were yelling or talking normally, this could be oddly comforting to the golden girl who is used to sugary words. When he is losing control of the situation he abruptly changes the topic to focus attention away from himself. This hardly resembles what would be complete control of an inhuman creature.

Arnold?s appearance is puzzling. It could be said that the funny black hair could cover horns and the fact that he wobbles in boots that do not fit him properly because of hooves. He is simply an older man changing his outward look to match a peer of his prey. In any given situation it would seem that one is less likely to be suspicious of a peer. To truly fit in he must dress correctly, know the music and talk the talk. From the he begins speaking, Arnold Friend tries to act as though he is your average boy. He talks with her about the radio station they are both listening to and uses phrases that are not used any more in an effort to fit into her world. This gives Arnold a base to work with. When speaking with Ellie, a mysterious character who only speaks when asked if he is needed to perform an unsavory task, Arnold lapses into a tirade of old fashioned and out of date sayings which highlights the fact that he is not exactly a hip teenager. He makes an effort to reproduce the current look ?the tight jeans that showed his thighs and buttocks and the greasy leather boots and the tight shirt??(370), which Connie acknowledges. His ?homework? while good was not complete.

There is no known aspect of Connie?s life that Arnold Friend does not seem to know, he can rattle off her friend?s names, can tell what she was doing last night and with whom but he is not quite omniscient; he has his flaws. When telling Connie what her family is doing at the same moment he describes her mother ?helping some fat woman with the corn??What fat woman?? Connie cried. ?How do I know what fat woman?? Arnold Friend laughed?. He can stalk a girl but he can not know everything. Serial killers and stalkers feel very possessive, ?I know my Connie?(368) toward their prey and go to great lengths to learn all that they can ?I know your name and all about you, lots of things??(368) which shows their control. They are only human and have human limitations. There are plausible explanations for his knowledge. If he had been stalking Connie, following the family to a party would not be out of the question. It would probably be the norm.

Arnold probably marked Connie for death from the moment he saw her. His sign of an X in front of her seems to hint at a crossing out or finish of Connie. Conversations with Ellie prove telling ?Ellie keep to yourself, this ain?t your date-right??(375), he thinks Connie is his date. The fact that Ellie knows what to do regarding the phones implies that they are not new to this sort of thing. Speculations could also be made that the numbers on his car refer to other victims. While all of this is supremely chilling it is not otherworldly. Arnold Friend is a creep, a stalker, a maniac but not supernatural.