Analysis of "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

Duncan S. Jackson

English 2130

Mr. Ruddle

T/R 3:30p-4:45p

Analysis of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”

Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” appears in Chapter

5 of Legacies (51-61) under the heading “Crossing the Genres: Identity and the Body.”  While a

perfunctory reading of the story may leave some readers satisfied with the notion that we have

before us the tale of a promiscuous young woman who, much like her teen-aged friends (and all

teens for that matter who believe they will live forever), throws caution to the wind and eventual-

ly becomes the target of a crazed sex offender and his silent but willing partner, a more circums-

pect perusal reveals the overwhelming depth and outright genius employed in bringing to life not

just a story with real, identifiable characters, but a timeless piece that could be introduced in this

day and still retain its symbolic significance. While this offering by Ms. Oates quite literally

draws upon facts detailed from Charles Schmid’s murder of Alleen Rowe, her story is steeped in

Biblical lore as well, from the title itself right down to subtext, and what she has provided us

with is nothing short of Satan attempting to beguile the lead character, Connie, with no promise

that she will make it safely through the ordeal.

Connie is no angel; let’s establish that from the beginning. At 15 she is a vain, promis-

cuous, lying teen-ager who has wished her mother dead (51), and it is that very same mother who

is not shy about pointing out that “…her (daughter’s) mind was all filled with trashy daydreams”

(51).  Connie knows what she wants, and has no qualms (or apparent matters of conscience)

when it comes to attaining these things, which translates into a blatant worship of worldly plea-

sures while exercising a complete and utter disregard for spiritual fulfillment which, as Biblical

scholars and theologians both will agree, is an invitation to allow Satan to be the predominate

influence in one’s life.

     Ms. Oates has made several very real references to the true identity of Arnold Friend, both as

Schmid and as Satan. His name itself—Arnold Friend—can be deciphered in many ways: Are no

friend; An old friend; An old fiend just to name a few, but is it coincidence that the number of

letters in first and last name add up to 6 and 6? Ms. Oates plays around with other forms of sym-

bolism in the story as well as offering flagrant hints as to Arnold’s true identity.  First, the car:  It

is referred to as a jalopy (52) painted gold.  “Jalopy” is defined as “Old and dilapidated,” (962)

and dilapidated is defined as “Having fallen into a state of disrepair,” (522). Satan is old, and

theologians could attest that, since his departure from Heaven, he has fallen into a state of disre-

pair as he was once the most beautiful of all angels. The gold color of the car represents his abili-

ty to maintain some semblance of beauty, but it can also be viewed as his ability to manipulate

and attract those who desire worldly possessions, and has gold not been the most precious, most

sought-after “worldly possession” throughout history?

On the car, in black, tar-like letters, is Arnold’s name. The color black has always been

representative of evil, and the fact that it is “tar-like” may represent decay or rot.  The numbers,

33, 19, and 17, can be looked at in two ways. First, 33 (3+3=6), then 19, 17 (19+17=36, square

root of being 6, thus 6x6), so what we are left with is 666, the number of the beast. Also, if one

were to count backwards from the last book of the Old Testament, Judges would be the 33^rd book

of the Bible (counting backwards is symbolic of Satan being the opposite of God), and Judges

19:17 reads, “And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the

city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?” (396). This is a direct

link to the title of the story.

“Man the Flying Saucers” was an adage employed by persons of the period to mean

things are not what they seem, or one should beware of that which they saw.

     Perhaps the most compelling words on the car are, “Done by a crazy woman,” in reference to

the smashed left rear fender.  In the aftermath of the beguiling of Eve, when God has confronted

both she and Adam and it has been revealed that Lucifer was the entity responsible, God said,

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall

bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15, [12]). We can draw a parallel here

between the rear fender of the vehicle—front to back = top to bottom = head to heel—and the

heel; one is smashed, the other bruised, but both done by a “crazy” woman. Commentary into

this passage states, “This verse contains the first implicit promise of God’s plan of redemption

for the world.  It predicts the ultimate victory for humankind and God over Satan and evil by

prophesying of a spiritual conflict between the “seed” of the woman (i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ)

and the “seed” of the serpent (i.e., Satan and his followers). God promised here that Christ would

be born of a woman (Isaiah 7:14 confirms this with, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you

a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. [1005])

and would be “bruised” through His crucifixion. Yet, He would rise from the dead to completely

destroy (i.e., “bruise”) Satan, sin, and death for the sake of the salvation of the human race.”

A lot of speculation has been given to Ellie Oscar’s part in the story, but I believe it to be

a metaphor for those who follow along without conscience, unquestioningly, along for the ride

regardless of the consequence. He will sit in the back, Arnold says time and again, like that voice

in the back of one’s head he or she will not heed. Connie even makes the comment, “He’s kinda

strange” (57), like a voice of reason one has all but forgotten.

The prevalence of and reference to flies proliferate the story; flies have always bespoken

pestilence, evil, and death.

More hints to Arnold’s true identity: Is the X, his sign, a corrupted cross, much like the

Nazis employed? Was his off-balance stature the result of his loose-fitting boots, indeed hiding

cloven-hoofed feet?  His glittering eyes, the sunglasses (used to hide the horns on his head?) are

all sure tell-tale signs, but in the end I think what we are left with is simply this: Ms. Oates did

employ the use of Satan, but simply as a metaphor. Mankind is inherently evil, and I believe Sa-

tan was used to symbolize the evil in (Charles Schmid’s, thus) Arnold Friend’s heart, and not just

Arnold’s but Connie’s as well.

1,235 words

References Cited

Legacies (51-61) 4^th ed. Schmidt, Crockett, Bogarad. 2009. Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Bos-

ton, MASS.

The Full Life Study Bible (KJV; 12, 396, 1005) Stamps, Adams.  1992.  Zondervan Publishing

House. Grand Rapids, Michigan

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 3^rd ed.  Houghton Mifflin Co. 

1992.