Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Essay Sample

In the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Connie is introduced by Joyce Carol Oates, a 15-year-old girl who is always in the mirror checking her reflection. It is evident that Conni’s mother's jealousy scolds her for her priming, but her complaints are ignored; according to her, she believes that being pretty is everything (Portas, 11). Connie uses most of her time thinking about boys and love in a general and vague way. Despite her fighting with her mother regularly, her mother still prefers her because of her beauty. Because of the beauty, Arnold kept stalking Connie, and one day his reply proved that she had been stalking Connie so that she could find more information about her (Atkins, 55). This article will discuss how Arnold portrayed himself as a sexual predator.

Arnold as a sexual predator

In the story, the imaginary figure idea is far-fetched because if he were a sexual fantasies product, he does not find the reason for sacrificing her well-being for her family. A more palatable imaginary figure would have been conjured by her (Urbanski, 200). Is it due to this that the predator's best description is one that leaves a few unanswered questions? The author solved the problem, whereby she stated that it was inspired by a story from the 1960s, which was a story about abduction (Oates, 94, 110).

The Arnold element of behavior and appearance can be looked at via Scnmid, a person who was into adolescent girls. Arnold suspects that Arnold has been disgusted; he is much older but pretends to be a teenager (Wegs, 66). He puts on ill-fitting boots, which always cause him to stumble; also, he uses some king makeup that makes his face look masklike. Connie’s original attraction turns to uneasiness, and then dear as a fried becomes increasingly menacing (Oates and Wolff, 77). He seduces and then threatens openly (Coulthard, 505). And because she became afraid for her family and could sacrifice herself for them, she finally gave in and accepted to follow him. Nevertheless, it might be that she also wants to experience, which made her ready to pay any price. In any way, Connie might face violence, which might be rape or even getting killed (Oates, 131, 133, 158).

 Arnold is indeed strange, and it does matter how Oates's characterizations and the plot is realistic; it might turn out that he is just a manipulative criminal who might be a psychic, rattling out Connie’s friend names, getting involved in aunt's faraway barbecue trancelike vision. Or, in another way, she might portray the appearance of being a psychic (Oates, 105).

Also, Arnold proved that he was a sexual predator from that quote " I took a special interest in you, such a pretty girl, and found all about you, I know where you have parents have gone too, and I know exactly the time they will be coming back|" this was a significant quote that showed that how Arnold was a sexual predator, and he always has Connie exact place he wants her to be (Oatesm par.59)

Conclusion

It is evident that Arnold has been preying on young girls; this has been shown they she has been preying on Connie, to the extent that he kept stalking her, whereby it reached a point where he knows the exact time her parents leave, where they go, and the exact time they come back. Also, The Arnold element of behavior and appearance can be looked at via Scnmid, a person who was into adolescent girls. Arnold suspects that Arnold has been disgusted; he is much older but pretends to be a teenager (Wegs, 66). He seduces and then threatens openly (Coulthard, 505). And because she became afraid for her family and could sacrifice herself for them, she finally gave in and accepted to follow him. Nevertheless, it might be that she also wants to experience, which made her ready to pay any price.