Did Connie Bring Arnolds Actions Upon Herself? Her heart was almost too big for her chest and its pumping made sweat break out Joyce Carol Oates places the reader in an undesirable situation inWhere are you going, Where have you been?. This situation is a young girl beingevilly seduced and raped. Although Connie is young and beautiful, her two contrastingpersonalities and actions put her in a position of fear and shock as Arnold Friend, takesher to a personal living hell.The main conflict of the story is between Arnold Friend and Connie. The authorbrings the audience into the conflict when Arnolds gold jalopy pulls into Conniesdriveway (15). Oates then takes us to Arnolds main objective getting Connie outside(20). As Connie and Friend get more involved in their arguments, the story builds up to aboiling point.The climax of the story is when Connie puts down the phone and gives intoArnold. Friend, with all of his evil charm, leads Connie closer to him in her indecision(145). Friend has now taken over Connies thoughts. He gains control of her mind andtakes advantage of her immaturity by seducing her to come outside and brutally rapingher.Arnold, having gotten what he wants, brings the story to a resolution when Connieenters a mystical land where she has never been. Now, Connie is left alone in her livinghell that Arnold has created. Friends deception leaves Connie feeling utterly alone andincapable of experiencing any emotions. Oates portrays Connie as a young and beautiful girl. Connie loved to look atherself. Her mother always criticized this and seemed to favor her older, moredependable sister. Connies beauty and adolescence are one of the major benefactors toArnolds conduct. A second characteristic that brings the conflict of the story to her is Conniesdifferent personalities. She has two different ways of carrying herself home andanywhere else. Her home personality is a more conservative, unsociable, andacceptable...
