Where Are You Going Where Have You Been title analysis?
What is the meaning of the title of Joyce Carol Oates’s short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” The questions are not asked in the story. The title also points to the strained relationship between Connie and her parents, who nag her about her behavior but do not question her actions.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been kitchen symbolism?
Connie’s promiscuity (relative to her age and family situation) is a major theme of the story. The kitchen is the last bastion of her innocence, representing the safety net of home and family. But Connie’s family is unsupportive and she is ready to move past what they can offer her.
Why is Arnold friend’s name ironic?
Arnold’s name is ironic because he is the opposite of a friend, symbolically showing that those who appear appealing or friendly at first may not be all that they seem.
What does Arnold friend look like?
He wears mirrored sunglasses, has translucent skin, and has hair that is so wild that it looks like a wig. When he walks, he wobbles, as though his shoes don’t fit properly. Some critics suggest that his unsteadiness hints at the possibility that his feet are actually hooves, as the devil would have.
What does Connie’s house symbolize?
Slowly, both Connie and the reader come to understand that if she leaves the house, Friend will take her away with him and rape her, perhaps even murder her. The house, then, comes to represent Connie’s adolescent innocence and the safety both her family life and status as a child provides her with.