Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been (Analysis & Interpretation)

Nick Courtright is the Executive Editor of Atmosphere Press, an author-friendly publisher, and an acclaimed English professor. Learn more at atmospherepress.com, and nickcourtright.com!

[@NoGainzJustYet]

I love how you speak bro. If you were my professor I would actually pay attention lol

[@KeithColangelo]

That's how I felt until I started attending a private university. It makes a difference... Thanks GI bill!

[@asheybug0000]

Broke Bodybuilder k

[@hiyorioh]

As your professor, I am thoroughly disappointed.

[@hiyorioh]

What does he speak like

[@crystalbaerwaldt2075]

The way I read it, Friend was like an amalgamation of traits that's Connie found attractive in other boys, because she comments on how familiar Arnie is. Because she has seen these traits before on other people. Whatever friend is, he is a composite of what Connie considers attractive, but because it is fake, it does not work

[@LizNeptune]

yes.. the fancy car, being older, being sexually experienced and saying all those 'sweet' words.. he's like an extreme version of all that which makes him so twisted.

[@tomripsin8321]

It's occurred to me that this story resembles the Greek myth of Persephone being abducted by Hades, the god of death. I've wondered if the author was thinking of that when she wrote it.

[@leahlin4933]

As a university freshman major in foreign literature, this really help a lot, thanks!

[@lyndraski4152]

I was stunned by this short story so immediately hit Google to get the back story. Oates based her character on a true killer somewhere in Arizona or New Mexico the '50's or early '60's. He managed to get a young girl out of her house, after which time he and his friend had their way with her and murdered her. He was a strange man; from a wealthy family I believe, in his 30's, but dressed younger to attract young girls. He was also short, so he wore boots with lifts in them. He wore make-up to appear more tan, and drew a mole on his face, which strangely he made larger as time went on. So knowing that back story, it made things even creepier for me. My opinion of this story is, yes, Connie was a silly, vain girl, but the evil of this story is, did her adolescent vanity and girlish ideal of sex unknowingly lead her to a brutal and horrifying end? Does adolescent foolishness deserve such punishment? I would say not, but unfortunately, Oates presents the possibility that in this cruel world, sometimes it can. And that to me, is terrifying.

[@Howdypartner69420]

Read this story in 9th grade. Had to come back today and read it again.

[@caseyringer1881]

Regardless on whether the dialogue exists, there should never be a debate on whether Connie or any girl ever “asked for it”. This should be updated

[@Howdypartner69420]

She was asking for it though?

[@Vanditto]

33+19+17=69 so since Arnold's a rapist our class assumed the numbers were just part of Arnold's humor.

[@hiyorioh]

Oh 😳👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

[@LizNeptune]

I saw someone say it’s the ages of women he’s killed.

[@hiyorioh]

@@LizNeptune well that would be lame

[@taylorcarroll7459]

@@LizNeptune that’s what I thought

[@lolk.4351]

if you remove the "r" from Arnold Friend its gonna be an old fiend.....

[@MatthewWilliams-xi8rd]

icywinther If you spell "race car" backward...it's still "race car"

[@speedbump3820]

If you remove the AR and LD it’s no friend

[@szymongwozdz2338]

he literally said that

[@hiyorioh]

Jasper Gonzalez 😂😂😂😂😂

[@shawty.413]

@@aphmau_aaron LMAOAAOAOOA WOW 😂😂

[@davidswubc]

Your answer to Arnold Friend's secret combination is a much more interesting interpretation of it's meaning than I have read or heard previously.

[@EverybodyLoveDon]

That was a wonderful review. Thank You Sir.

[@MakeCupwTea]

Yeah I loved this analysis bc my English teacher has my class learning about this short story by jocey Carol Oates honestly when I first read the story I was upset by some of the decisions Connie chose to make then my teacher explained some of the theorys of the story like Arnold being the devil and talking out the "r" in both his first and last name spelled an old fiend but my teacher also stated "we know how Connie was imaginative like when she was sitting in the back yard letting her hair dry and she was imagining and fell asleep what if it was all a dream?"

[@tashajones4299]

I just talked about this with my class. They say it's based on a true story about a man named Charles Schmidt, who happened to be a serial killer, and that those numbers represent the ages of the women whom he had killed.....so sad:(

[@nataljaebere2505]

+Tasha Jones hi, in true story Connie was the first girl, who serial killer killed.

[@blakeramsey3373]

I know this was posted a long time ago but the numbers also represent Judges 19:17 which is where the name comes from.

[@lizfreeman8802]

Yes, that is what my professor told us 25 years ago. (a serial killer) Made me sick then; makes me sick now.

[@lysadilley-wrote967]

@@nataljaebere2505 Not true. He killed three girls and none of them were named Connie. They were: Alleen Rowe and the two sisters- Gretchen and Wendy Fritz.

[@nataljaebere2505]

@@lysadilley-wrote967 Thank you

[@ashley-nt8ub]

Interesting about the bible verse. I always thought Arnold was making a sexual reference, because when you add up the numbers, you get 69. And then it says that he waited for her response, so it seems like he was waiting to see if she would add up the numbers in her head and figure it out.

[@robertesch3851]

Connie is too full of herself to be able to "figure it out," don't you think? She invites evil into her life.

[@matthewhutsell1890]

the best take ive heard

[@jadenmitchell7789]

Why did I read this before I went to bed? 10/10 would not recommend.

[@asheybug0000]

How insightful! One of my favorite authors❤

[@lorishu48103]

JCM when interviewed stated that the boots stuffed and certain other character features were inspired by the “Pied Piper” Charles Schmid. I still agree with the archetypes you mentioned I’m your interpretation

[@lisabutler9762]

Great interpretation!!! I wish you could have been in my English class when we had to read this. My teacher told us that Joyce Carol Oates was a devought Catholic so maybe there is something to the numbers of Arnold's car? We also saw the movie Connie which wasn't the best. Apparently this story was inspired By Bob Dylan's song It's All Over Now Baby Blue.

[@MakeCupwTea]

Lisa Butler wait so it that why in the end around says " my beautiful blue eyed girl?"

[@MakeCupwTea]

Lisa Butler *Arnold

[@cruisejl7631]

No mention of the music and the role it plays?

[@MorganRenfield]

Yeah! I noticed that a bit in the story

[@kmr91176]

this is a very disturbing story...wow

[@Qce681]

Thanks homie definitely got me an A+ on the analysis.

[@atmospherepress]

Glad to hear it!

[@denisenoemyschizotypaldiso3755]

I discuss this story at length in this $1 ebook: www.amazon.com/Obsessions-Exorcisms-Joyce-Carol-Oates-ebook/dp/B07KYC7W3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548667648&sr=8-1&keywords=denise+noe All the essays in the ebook were read and complimented by Joyce Carol Oates before I collected them into the ebook.

[@magicknight13]

I remember reading this in eleventh grade English!!! I like it even more now!

[@Cloudninja927]

Pretty solid analysis. It’s crazy on how it all played out

[@lily2071]

Excellent analisys! Thank you.

[@EliPop]

Awesome, my professor sent me to this video. There are some things that I didn't realized until you pointed it out. Thanks!!

[@OLDSOULSLUDGE]

It occurred to me that there might've been deeper theological symbolism in this story. I wondered about the numbers and I think you're on to something there, but I wondered also about Eli (spelling?). He's listening to a radio that's held up close to his ear. He says nothing. I wondered if Oates was making a comment about God perhaps being complicit in acts of atrocity. He's purported to be omnipresent, so he might Oates be saying that he had something to do with what befell Connie? This theory is in fact bolstered by the film adaptation 'Smooth Talk' which actually ends not with her finding herself in the field, but her having been there and returned home. Now, in the film, Eli stayed back at their house. It showed him inside pining over things, and Arnold had basically implied that Eli would make sure everything was good back at her house. Sure enough, Connie gets dropped off after her seemingly non-abusive outting with Arnold, and she walks up the driveway. Her mother and her sister who she was at war with both came up to her and basically put everything behind them. It was as if God put everything right in there lives and blessed the house or something. Massive cop out, the movie was kind of a dud, but maybe that further explains some of the themes in the short story.

[@TheChillman456]

+Mitchell Beanland it feels like a modern retelling of the original sin story to me

[@KeithColangelo]

Amazing critique. It's a privilege to have your comments here.

[@reeanne8843]

I think the number thing is numerology and 33 is a master number for imagination and all the numbers added comes down to 6 which symbolizes as family , healing . He said he was her friend and there's no way he knew the information about her otherwise he's so psychic so it's gotta be her imagination. Subconscious the radio guy symbolizes that part of her , he can't hear well and she doesn't listen to heart , she just follows her parents wishes she can't rebel and be who she is . James Dean huge symbol in the movie as his famous move rebel without a cause is about breaking family dynamics , and being who you are . That's why arnold says she's better off without them they don't know who she really is and he's going to show what true love is and accepting her for what is in her soul 'touch your heart'

[@luiscenteno8118]

Nice Analysis

[@aprjaex]

Thanks for all the great videos! They are very helpful!

[@marwinout]

thanks man this is awesome. i went back to my highschool and checked out small avalanches and other short stories, this was the first story.

[@patriciaclark3221]

Thank you soooo much for this. I needed this so much.

[@Canonmentos]

Thanks Nick!

[@diidimeh]

This video is perfect, thank you!

[@chriscriskris3336]

Reading this for a class and was reading it to burn time. This is a wonderful read sadly it has the darker tones for the MCs demise in the story.

[@erikjohnson4288]

can someone interpret what the x means ??!!

[@MakeCupwTea]

John Smith yesssss OMG I've been wondering what did the x mean?

[@seeshakat8749]

X marks the spot. She's his new target. At least that's what I got from that.

[@shakespearaamina9117]

Thank you!!

[@morganebensadoun5874]

Hi, I am writing a paper on this story and came across your video! I am arguing that this story represents commodification and that Connie's beauty is what makes her mother jealous and Arnold interested. He sees her as a means to gain a better reputation or higher acclaim. This is because we live in a society (a marxist society) in which people cherish surface materials and status. Do you think you could talk to me about my paper?

[@KeithColangelo]

Uh, how are we Marxist? Karl Marx inspired the failed ideals of the Soviets... He was a German philosopher of Hebrew heritage who had his ideas implemented in Russia. Notice how we are very different from those 3 countries?

[@PTunnelly]

@@KeithColangelo he might not be from the US

[@Howdypartner69420]

Communist.

[@Denisenoe]

Joyce Carol Oates praised my examination of her work and I discuss the story at length in it: www.amazon.com/Obsessions-Exorcisms-Joyce-Carol-Oates-ebook/dp/B07KYC7W3K/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Denise+Noe&qid=1558646326&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

[@erniepach8488]

So how would I compare this to a bad or good decision Connie makes

[@normamariona7387]

thank you

[@lizfreeman8802]

"The Pied Piper of Tucson"

[@anhvu6824]

Thank you Nick

[@lauralove1119]

Thank you for this!

[@moustapha114]

I still don't know what or how to really write about this short story, because I don't know what conclusion to give to it

[@LizNeptune]

I just finished "Smooth Talk".. story is still creepy as hell!! Movie was disturbing and set it all up well.. only thing is the ending was hopeful.. can't say as much for the real life story it was based upon.

[@johnowens2108]

Good man

[@unknownstranger6875]

I thought it was obvious: Are No Friend.

[@dannyboylive]

Thanks!

[@Platanosforsale]

why do you think he chose her? why not someone else?

[@lolk.4351]

maybe he had a past with her family yknow he seemed to know all about them

[@solblack9903]

This is late but he targets young girls who have a broken home or low self esteem. Easy targets They don't have someone there to protect them

[@Howdypartner69420]

@@solblack9903 works everytime

[@amandanicolehall4184]

WARNING: **Video contains Victim blaming**: "Connie's vanity gets her into trouble", "Connie's naivete get her into trouble". This is the kind of mentality that lets that kind of men get away with this kind of thing.

[@lihszr7586]

Yesss, that's what I also thought immediately. That's rape culture, and I found it highly triggering. This also made me very uninterested in the rest of the analysis! Unfortunately, I only saw your comment lateron.

[@Howdypartner69420]

Lmfaooo trigger warnings in the comment section gtfooooo

[@anhvu6824]

Nice

[@chiboidomz]

shit's scary

[@Howdypartner69420]

In better terms, Arnold was a good friend and gave it to her good somewhere in the woods probably

[@annisaoktry3816]

please give a text

[@jamiemyers8560]

My teacher gave me a much more deep and symbolic explanation. This sort of seems to.....stay on the surface???

[@user-br6ht3fe6x]

say it then.

[@asheybug0000]

Wrong

[@MakeCupwTea]

Jamie Myers explain what did your teacher say???

[@Howdypartner69420]

Typical woman moment. Never replied.

[@kimberlyjewell279]

Dude, your interpretation is shallow and sexist. I usually like your videos. You actually missed the whole point and only served to enforce Oates point.

[@Howdypartner69420]

Wrong. Woman moment.

[@sjhfilms7066]

jawn is shot on a potato

[@jV-qs3sx]

This is really just not good