Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Short Story Analysis Essay

In Joyce Carol Oates's short story “Where are you going, Where have you been?”  published in 1970 Joyce writes about a young self-conscious girl named Connie. Connie was always worried about how she looked and tried to impress people. Connie wanted to act like an adult, and she did not realize the joy of being a child. Connie begins to live a rebellious lifestyle by acting out, sneaking to the drive-in, and fooling her mother (Oates) . This lifestyle made room for Satan to come in and take control of Connie. Connie's first encounter with Satan was one night at the drive-in restaurant. Satan had disguised as a boy named Eddie. Satan visits her again as a man named Arnold friend, but this time he was much more aggressive. Satan was there to lead Connie to hell by taking her innocence away and gaining control. Joyce Oates goes into detail about Arnold friend's oks, knowledge, and control which proves he was Satan.  

Satan visited Connie twice in Oates's short story. This helps show how Arnold was Satan because Satan in the biblical story of Abraham and his son Issac. Where Satan formed into many different forms (Winnail). God was testing Abraham to see if he was truly God-fearing. God had tested Abraham 9 separate times and on the tenth time, God told Abraham to sacrifice his own son Issaac. Abraham had accepted to obey God and sacrifice his son(dreifuss 167). During this time Satan tried to distract Abraham and led him away from God's word he knew that if Abraham listened to God, it would show all the other humans to be God-fearing and they could be a shield. Satan came to Abraham Issac and Sarah in different forms to have them sacrifice a lamb instead of Their son which would have gone against God's word. Satan came as an elderly man to Sarah and Abraham to make them go against God. (Dreifuss168). This is what Satan is doing in “where are you going where have you been” Satan is disguesed as Arnold's friend to appear more conviceing to connie and what attrats her. So she would go with him so he can control her and pull her away from God. 

One Sunday when Connie's family was at a cookout Connie was daydreaming of boys and her looks when she was visited by Satan(Oates). After he arrives, He begins to threaten Connie and her family. He is there to force Connie into adulthood by taking her innocence and sending her down a path to hell. Satan's goal is to dived people from Christ and to control people and eventually take over the heavens(Winnail). Satan does this by attacking people who are valuable like Connie who was growing unattached to her family. Oates explained the relationship between Connie and her mother as very toxic. They did not get along and her mother was always talking down everything Connie had done. Connie said that sometimes” she wished her mother was dead and she was too” (Oates). Connie had also grown away from church and God. During the story, Connie stated that “she and her family woke up on Sunday and didn’t even bother going to church” (Oates). This proves that their relationship with God was growing apart which makes people targets for Satan to come in and gain control. Arnold's appearance, knowledge, and the power he had on Connie are all reasons he is Satan trying to get control of Connie. 

Joyce Oates explained all Connies details about Arnold appearance she talks about how when he smiles its looks like he is wearing a mask (Oates). He is disguised as a man to hide his true self. The devil can take on many different forms to help persuade people to listen to him and give in. Connie also talks about how his hair was curly like a wig and he placed his sunglasses so carefully on top of his hair (Oates). This also leads me to believe that he is hiding his true self. Satan in the Middle Ages is described with hooves and horns (Satan). This could be why he was wearing a wig. Another detail Connie says is that his boots looked too big for his feet and at one point she talks about the angle of his boot and how it looks like a foot might not even be in there (Oates).  

The apparency of Arnolds Friend Ellie also proves that Arnold is Satan. Ellie sits in the car and listens to the same radio station that Connie has on in her house. Connie describes Ellie as a older man with a pale blueish chest (Oates). When Ellie did talk, he said “you want that telephone pulled out”. Ellie was in a daze under control from the music and under stans control. After Ellie spoke Arnold made him shut up. Ellie done whatever Satan told him he was scared and was already on Satans path to hell.  

During the story, Arnold friend had an abundance of knowledge about Connie and her family. Knowledge that not a normal human would know. When Satan tries to convince Abraham to not listen to God and to saceffiace his own son Satan foresaw the future and how the ending was going to occur (Dreifuss). This explains how he could see her family at the barbecue and what everyone was wearing Arnold friend said “. "Yeah. Sitting around. There is your sister in a blue dress, huh? And high heels, the poor sad bitch—nothing like you, sweetheart! And your mother's helping some fat woman with the corn, they're cleaning the corn—husking the corn—"(Oates). Arnold knew the exact details of her family and when they would arrive back home. When standing on Connie's porch Connie says that Arnold “squinting as if he were staring all the way to town and over to Aunt Tillie's back yard” (Oates). He used this knowledge and power to help convince Connie to go with him. She knew she did not have anyone coming to help her so eventually she gave in to Satans power. 

While Connie was home alone Satan disguised as a man named Arnold friend came to Connie's home to take her on the path to hell by taking her innocence. Connie described Arnold as wearing a wig and mask this was to hide his self-identity as Satan. Arnold friend also had knowledge about Connie her family that a normal person would not have known. Satan came into Connie's life because she and her family was growing apart from God and each other this made a perfect time for Satan to come in and take control. The story ends with Connie stepping out of her back door to go with Satan because of his powerful control over her. 

Cite works 

Foley, Jack. “‘Sin, Not Time’: Satan’s First Speech in Paradise Lost.” ELH, vol. 37, no. 1, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1970, pp. 37–56, https://doi.org/10.2307/2872273. 

Oates, Joyce, Carol. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?.  1974. 

"Satan." The Columbia Encyclopedia. Columbia University and Paul Lagasse. New York: Columbia University Press, 2015. Credo Reference. Web. 16 Sep 2015 

Douglas S. Winnail “Study Topic: Know Your Adversary!” Living Church of God, https://www.lcg.org/bible-studies/study-topic-know-your-adversary.