The Symbolism and Imagery in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Analyzing the Symbolism and Imagery in “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” Evil nature and/or spirits can come in many different forms, just as Joyce Carol Oates has proven in her short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”. The story is said to be “a chilling modern fable that uncovers the bleakness and emptiness of contemporary life and values.” (Werlock). Oates utilizes skillful symbols to help add visuals and significance to her stories.

In the New York Times Book Review, Richard Gilman praised that the short story “create[s] a verbal excitement, a sense of language used not for the expression of previously attained insights or perceptions but for new imaginative reality” (1: 266).

There is an added sense of irony through the character of Arnold friend due to unusual nature, off-putting name, and his sensual, seductive yet demanding nature.

Oates’ innocent depiction of the protagonist, Connie, allows the reader to gain insight into the type naïve character she is and, therefore, foreshadows the events to come.

When analyzing Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” the use of symbolism and imagery show Connie’s innocence and beauty, as well as the evil yet seductive nature of the devil.

The first sensory detail that Oates makes good use of is precise choice of imagery; she uses this to help paint the picture of Connie as an innocent young girl conflicted in her role in society. From the very beginning, Oates makes it evident that Connie is a very attractive girl by stating “…nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right…she knew she was pretty and that was everything” (469).

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She is aware that she is attractive and is confident in her looks, yet she doesn’t know herself, and therefore, has no real true identity. Her dual personalities were best described by Oates: “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and another for when she was away from home…” (470). She used Connie’s good looks to show how it played a role in her popularity among guys and even her own friends. Despite all her confidence, she is easily lured by others actions and led astray from her moral values.

For example, when Connie went out to the restaurant with her friend, she couldn’t help but leave her alone because a boy had intrigued her and grabbed her attention. This is when she has her first encounter with the antagonist, Arnold Friend. At first glance, he seems to be a very suave guy who knows what to say to women. Despite the fact that he doesn’t know her, Arnold says to her “gonna get you, baby,” (471). Connie brushes it off and thinks nothing of this encounter and forgets all about it.

With Connie’s young age comes vulnerability and unfortunately for her, it lands her in a situation at the wrong time and place. Oates does a good job of showing this through excessive use of imagery and symbolism. Connie is constantly yearning to be away from her family and have time to herself to do the things every young adolescent enjoys. This is first seen when Connie’s family offered her to go on a family outing to an aunt’s barbeque and she declined, seeing as she had better things to do such as wash her hair and listen to the radio.

When she receives an unexpected visitor at her front door, she doesn’t know how to react. Although she wants to be independent and be by herself, this only proves how her inexperience in life impedes in her decision making and ultimately leaves her in a daze of confusion. She is left alone with a stranger she knows nothing about and is put in harm’s way. She didn’t know how to feel about him. Oats stated “She couldn’t decide if she liked him or if he was just a jerk,” she “dawdled in the doorway and wouldn’t come down or go back inside” (474). This indicates how Connie isn’t certain about Arnold and emphasizes her vulnerability. Although he sparked her interest, she was unable to interpret him in a logical way.

Symbolism also becomes a major significant role in the short story when Arnold Friend is introduced in Connie’s life. When he arrives at her house, a screen door is presented as the barrier between the two of them. His flamboyant appearance makes Connie question his age and true identity. Although not directly stated, this door could easily be interpreted as Connie’s innocence and youth shedding away as this door is crossed or threatened to be broken down.

The idea was described as “Oates’s allegory captur[ing] the child’s hovering on the threshold of adulthood under the influence of erotic reveries.” (Snodgrass). Friend uses their shared music interest to lure her attention and find an easy way into her head. It becomes evident that Connie was some kind of chosen entity as Arnold says “Didn’t you see me put my sign in the air when you walked by?’ … ‘My sign.’ And he drew an X in the air, leaning out toward her” (Oates 476). This alludes to her being marked by Satan seeing as ‘X’ is viewed as a diabolical letter. He also said “Seen you that night and thought, that’s the one, yes sir. I never needed look any more” (480).

As their conversation progresses, Friend threatens to break into the screen door with force, by saying “Soon as you touch the phone I don’t need to keep my promise and come inside. You won’t want that… it’s just a screen door. It’s nothing”” (479). This indicates that Friend is not afraid to cross the line if brought to that point and can do so with ease. Snodgrass described that he “advances from flirtation and charming mockery to verbal coercion and threats against the family” (Encyclopedia of Feminist Literature). He will not corrupt her unless she allows him to, his ultimate goal being to “have Connie go to him of her own free will” (Werlock).

He won’t cross the line, he will only wait for her to come out to him and turn herself in to him. When Connie is unable to call the police, it becomes evident that she has succumbed to the devil’s power and is no longer in control of her own actions, but as long as she is obedient and stays behind the door, in the safety of her own home, she is safe. When Connie “Volitionless… moves toward Arnold as in a nightmare, …the final wording of the story suggests he will not only rape her in this world but take her with him to hell” (Werlock).

Critic, Rena Korb states “When Connie leaves the house for the last time, she has lost her own identity to Arnold’s desires. She is filled only with ’emptiness’. Even her body is no longer hers” (1: 269). When Connie exits her house, it is described as if there are two separate entities: her soul and her body. Her body giving in to Arnold Friend and her soul standing by, watching her do it. This is represented when Oates says “She watched herself push the door slowly open…watching this body and this head of long hair moving out into the sunlight where Arnold Friend waited” (483).

Although not very clear, Friend’s appearance is an allegory of evil. He possesses characteristics of an evil and devil-like presence. His strange name, nature, and overall being exude a devilish spirit. Ultimately, Connie is incapable of resisting temptation and giving in to the ever-growing feeling of escaping innocence and youth and in the end falls hostage to his trickery. Her innocence causes her to fall victim to seduction and power of the worst kind.

Best said by Werlock, “In the pessimistic ending, the reader understands that Connie is gone forever and that her culture never prepared her to resist evil” (Encyclopedia of the American Short Story). Ultimately, it is the decision between right and wrong that creates the presence of the character of Arnold Friend, the devil in human form.