Short stories that haunt the reader’s mind often lead up to a single lingering emotional impact. One such story that weaves a flawless storytelling web is “Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. First published in 1966, the story remains widely anthologized. It is number one on my list of top ten stories that have guided my writing aspirations.
I encountered Oates’ story in my first undergraduate fiction workshop. It falls under the genre of contemporary realism, with a gritty undertone thrown in. “Where are you going? Where have you been?” builds to such a gripping ending due to the final extended scene that practically takes place in real time. If you are unfamiliar with the story, I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it.
In any case, the plot centers on Connie, a 15-year-old girl who has mastered the art of her two selves. At home, she is a typical eye-rolling teenager who feels a bit out of place in her family. She’s continually compared to her 24-year-old sister, a plain Jane secretary who still lives at home. Connie’s mother has few kind words for her and the father is just sort of there. Away from home, Connie experiments with a more mature persona. That other half of her personality is what catches the attention of Arnold Friend, a man twice her age, whom she first encounters at a drive-in restaurant.
Before he even speaks, Oates makes him an enigmatic character with a flashy car and a persistent stare. Connie is immediately drawn to him and “she couldn’t help glancing back and there he was still watching her. He wagged a finger and laughed and said, ‘Gonna get you, baby,’ and Connie turned away again.” That is the last of him she sees that night. The author captures the girl’s self-centeredness with thoughts such as, “Connie thought her mother preferred her to June because she was prettier” and the way that no matter what, she and her mother always annoy each other.
Come Sunday, Connie doesn’t want to go to a barbecue with her family because she’d rather stay at home and wash her hair and lounge about. While home alone, a car pulls up in the isolated driveway. What ensues just may be one of the most jarring dialogues in all of literature. Arnold is a master manipulator, whose dominance is further supported by his practically mute sidekick friend Ellie. In Arnold’s presence Connie begins slipping away too his artful coaxing. During their entire conversation, a screen door separates the two. Arnold tells Connie, “’It’s just a screen door. It’s just nothing.’” The conversation continues as he focuses on his plan of talking her out of the house.
The fear instilled by his steady words makes her unable to function, as is best evidenced in her attempt to use the phone, which is the one action that Arnold reminds her will cause him to enter the house. She picks up the phone and “something roared in her hear, a tiny roaring, and she was so sick with fear that could do nothing but listen to it.” She cries out into the phone for her mother and then she starts to scream hysterically. All the while Arnold just watches from the other side of the screen door.
Arnold Friend said, in a gentle-loud voice that was like a stage voice, “The place where you came from ain’t there anymore, and where you had in mind to go is cancelled out. This place you are now—inside your daddy’s house—is nothing but a cardboard box I can knock down any time. You know that and always did now it. You hear me?”
Connie eventually leaves the house, all the while telling herself, “I have got to think. I have got to know what to do.”
Arnold continues to coax her out by reminding her that she needs to leave so nobody else in her family gets hurt. He continues, “’Be nice to me, be sweet like you can because what else is there for a girl like you but to be sweet and pretty and give in?’”
Year after year, I return to this story in my mind and wonder what I would have done if I were in Connie’s shoes. It’s also been my favorite story to teach in creative writing classes. The story is dedicated to Bob Dylan and parts of the narrative bear resemblance to Dylan’s song lyrics of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” Further inspiration for the plot is said to be taken from three murders that occurred in Tuscon, Arizona and were later featured in Life magazine.
What stories or movies have been able to totally creep you out? What qualities do you look for in a mesmerizing read?
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Wow… That’s all I can say. Sounds like a book you will not want to put down once you start it. 🙂
Cheryl, every time I read this story I find it more engrossing than the time before
Nice post, Jeri!
Had to read some of what Joyce Carol Oates wrote when I studied American litterature at university. Never really got into her writing the way you obvioulsy did.
Interesting the way he manipulates her. Would not want to know about the rest of the story based on the murders you mention:-)
Catarina, the murders are merely alluded to in the story which is what makes it really powerful. The reader knows what’s going to happen to Connie when she walks out that door, but that’s where the story ends.
Thanks for lettin gme know about CommentLuv. I’ll look into it 🙂
I don’t know, what I will do if i am connie. It is scary. I followed the link and read the story. I can’t think of what happened to Connie. The author gave so much power to Arnold to manipulate connie.
Bindu, that’s great that you followed the link and gave the story a read. Arnold is so manipulative, and I just love the way Oates pulls everything off.
I got goosebumps just reading your review – you have captured the essence of the book so beautifully. I will get down to reading the book later.
Lubna, Oates’ story really does pull the reader in with a mesmerizing quality I’ve not seen many stories accomplish, and I’ve read TONS of short stories.
It’s a good post, Jeri. Short stories are along the road to going after your novel. You can’t do much better than Joyce Carol Oates.
Larry, I’ve only read a few of her stories, but she’s an author I’ve been meaning to read more of for quite some time now. I can’t believe how prodigious her output has been over the years.
When I first read that story, I was blown away, too. It’s so great in it’s scariness and it’s simplicity. One of the things that’s super scary is that you never know what happens to Connie, exactly. You know it was awful and deadly, but your imagination gets to spiral out and imagine the very worst of what they could’ve done. It also inspires fear (for yourself/friends if you’re a teen girl; for your children, if you’re a parent; for your sister or friends, if you’re a guy; for society), so it’s such a great piece.
I think the thing about stories that stay with you is that they have characters who experienced a really basic/primal part of the human condition and people were easily able to identify with them and put themselves in their shoes. Harry Potter was a wizard, but he was also a young person trying to find his way in the world, make friends and grow up. That’s a great identifier. Even a story like The Time Traveler’s Wife, which I was a little disappointed with because I hadn’t expected the ending.Still, the story stays with you as you remember this guy who just wants a normal life, a family, love, but he can’t get it because he keeps inexplicably traveling through time.
There are other things I’m sure that contribute to a memorable story. But, if people can’t relate to the basic humanity of it, it won’t be memorable.
RJ, your comment brings to mind some of my favorites, especially The Time Traveler’s Wife 😉
Mesmerizing…in that creepy, can’t stop reading kind of way. I’ve never read her short stories, so this was a real treat for me. Lasting impression, indeed. As one knows exactly what will happen to her after she walks out that door. It is what makes her open that door that is fascinating to me.
Jacquie, the part where Connie is just screaming into the phone is the part that always brings it home for me. We all like to think how we’d handle such situations, but Oates’ does such a great job of showing how our base emotions would simply take over.
Hi Jeri,Joyce Carol Oates’ output is even more remarkable considering she wrote everything in longhand. I believe she was one of the first female authors to dwell on the dark side without using a nom-de-plume and this probably inspired many others. In this story I find the screen door an excellent device. Particularly chilling is a technique often employed by Stephen King, the use of an uncultured voice to utter a universal truth “the place you came from ain’t there anymore …. I haven’t fully analyzed what I look for in a mesmerizing read but this combination of the essential and the mundane, which is also apparent in The Gravedigger’s Daughter, would be high on the list.
Paul, yet she does write under two different pen names as well. I’ve not read The Gravedigger’s daughter, but just looked it up on Wikipedia. I know I would like it. It’s always great when my reading list grows from blog comments.
Thanks for the link to the story Jeri. It’s been years since I read any short story. This was a good one. I love the kind like this that leave it up to you to create the ending in your mind! Thanks.
Patricia, the ending is going to be gruesome, and yet Oates doesn’t go there. I’ve replayed this story so many times in my mind, and just when I think I have it all figured out and see all the connections, I read it and to be surprised again. There’s not many stories that have had that kind of impact on me.
“Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?” gave me the shivers, creeps, weird emotional darkness.
Now, that good effing writing.
Love your blog posts, btw. They ((ALWAYS)) resonate w/ me.
PS. do you think this story was based lightly on Lolita?
Kim, there’s always a change Oates was slightly influenced by Nabokov’s book. Now there’s a book I’ve been meaning to reread for quite some time.
Jeri,
Lolita is at the VERY top of my list as far as delicious reading.
If you ever listen to audio books, you must hear Jeremy Irons read Lolita. It is quite a treat.
Nabokov’s words are off the freaking charts.
Hi Jeri,
This review was quite riveting and has inspired me to read the story…seems to be quite interesting! Never read Joyce Carol, Thanks for the nudge!
Balroop, happy to provide a nudge toward a story from time to time. This one is a classic of the short story genre for read reason.
Jeri – I haven’t read Joyce Carol Oates, but now I think I should. Even your retelling of the story was scary. Alfred Hitchcock was famous for not telling everything in the story but letting viewers figure it out. I can’t think of the name of the film but I vividly remember his photographing empty steps as a killer climbs them to reach his prey. You never see the man or his feet or the actual event. But you know what’s going to happen. Very scary.
Jeannette, I know you love mystery so it’s a good bet you would enjoy a great deal of Oates’ work.
Geez Jeri, way to creep me out first thing Monday morning. Your review certainly set the tone for the story but since the review alone has sent the bajeebers up me I think I will leave the book to others :)…nervous smile.
Tim, okay you can have a pass on this one 😉
The short story that haunts me is Oysters by Anton Chekhov. It’s only a couple of pages long but I guarantee it will haunt you forever.
Jan, ohhhh thanks so much for the recommendation. I’ll look up Chekhov’s story tomorrow and give it a read.
It really is a very creepy story, which I only recently read for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Joyce Carol Oates is on of my favorite authors. I wondered what her motivation was in dedicating this to Bob Dylan. Perhaps that she admired his work I guess. They must have been friends, back in the day. I don’t think Connie had any choice given where she was coming from. I imagine , you might have had a different reaction Jeri. But as a young girl I’m not convinced I would have.
A.K., as I mention at the end of the post some people have proposed that Oates took a degree of inspiration from his song “It’s all over now, Baby Blue.” I’ve used the song in the classroom in relation to this story, and it can be fun to explore the possibilities.
Hi Jeri…
A wonderful review. Catching and mesmerizing, indeed.
As to your question I would say that the movie Rosemary´s baby is one that have always scared me … I loved the way reality and appearances play both in the film´s plot… And also liked the way that illness is subtly introduced among the lines of the plot…
As to a more real approach, one of the latest news that I found totally creepy was the one of Ariel Castro’s Kidnappings in California… I am sure you know the story… The man who had three women in captivity for ten years. Really an amazing story, almost unbelievable…
Well then, thanks for sharing this post… It is always a pleasure to read your articles.
Best wishes, Aquileana 🙂
Aquileana, you must be at least the fifth person who has commented on different blog posts of mine about the impression Rosemary’s Baby has left on them. That’s enough to get me to add it to my reading list. I’ve only seen the movie starring Mia Farrow.
I followed the link and read the story for the first time too, Jeri, and thought it was great, but incredibly intense. This story seems like it could have been published recently, not in 1966. You can completely see how a young girl could be manipulated by the much older man like she was. As long as he was able to keep talking, she didn’t stand a chance. Very sad though in that it makes me think of all the young girls today being manipulated into meeting “boys” they met online, only to find out too late they were grown men.
Susan, intense is probably the most fitting word to describe the overall impression the story makes. It does comes across as a timeless story and can serve as a good warning to just how easily someone can come and insert themselves into our lives and change its course forever.
Yet another story I need to add to my list to be read. There is never enough time to get to them all.
Jon, this one if sooooooo worth it. I promise.
This short story sounds gripping. The story line sounds very powerful and looks like a book you can’t put down and when you are done reading you want more answers. I love these types of books because it gets the mind thinking.
Arleen, on the surface the plot of Oates story seems so simple, but the underlying feel of dread she manages to accomplish with it is pure writing magic.
Your description of, “Where are you going? Where have you been?” definitely makes me want to read it. A few months back, I read Daddylove and really enjoyed it. I’m sorry that I missed her at the Key West Literary Seminar.
Dana, one of my former students was lucky enough to get to hear Oates speak. Talk about jealous!
I haven’t read this story but will look for it now. You make it sound gripping and haunting.
Donna, the link above will take you to the full text of the story.
I read this story years ago and your post reminds me how creepy it was. Oates is one of the great writers. I usually have to be in the mood for one of her dark and rich stories but am always glad I read it. Been a while–it may be time to read her again.
Jagoda, she’s definitely a master worth learning from and quite prolific as well.
Stephen king books can scare me. Also the movie the Shining still scares me till thIs day. I will need to sleep with a night light on after watching it. I got creeped out just reading this blog post. Lol I think when they slowly build up the intensity that makes for a great scary story. In the shining they build up the intensity of Johnny character until he has gone mad. I have to say I always laugh when jack Nicholson says, “here’s Johnny! ” he looks so crazy and ridiculous. 🙂
Crystal, I’m with you in how scary The Shining was. I watched it when I wasn’t supposed to when I was a kid and had nightmares for weeks. Yet, I’ve always gravitated to writing with a dark and scary nature.
Oooh. *shiver* Creepy. I’m going to go read that story now.
Loni, by all means *shiver* away 😉
I have not read any books by Oates. This one has got me gripped so I am going to try and find it on Amazon.
Mini, let me know if you give her work a try.
This is an interesting story. I want to know what happens later on.
Jason, spoiler alert… it ain’t good.
I’ve not even read the story, but I’m already haunted by that line, “what else is there for a girl like you but to be sweet and pretty and give in?” Yikes. Truly creepy. Now I have to go find it to read the rest of the story. Thanks a lot! 🙂
Meredith, I should have made it more clear in the text of the post, but the title when first mentioned is an active link to the full text of the story.
What a tease Jeri, you do make one want to proceed and finish this story. Very intriguing and you did a great job of the sneak peak.
Welli, it was a breeze to write this sneak peek because I really do love the story that much 🙂
Have never read Joyce Carol Oates but have had “Blonde” on my Goodreads list for ages… will get to it one day! Have you read any short stories by Alice Munro? (This is my Canadian pride creeping in.)
Laura, I’ve only read a couple of Munro’s stories and she’s quite the prolific writer. Yay for Canadian pride. I’m hard-pressed to name many notable Idaho writers… I need to do my homework on that front.
Excellent review, the picture you painted was so intriguing that against my better judgement I went over and read the story. The story represents real horror to me, not the stuff with vampires and monsters. The tension is so high that you just want her to get to the phone, to some place else. It creeped me out. My husband is on his way to Sweden tonight so I’ll have to distract myself with comedy before ging to bed or I’ll have nightmares. 🙂
It’s funny, I got the same nervous sensation when Julie first gets into the car with Robin in “Pretty Girl”, not that Robin is anywhere near as menacing, but their exchange just felt loaded. I had not read any of your work before and wasn’t sure what was in store for me or whether it would wig me out or not. 🙂
Debra, it’s always good to hear when one of my readers takes one of my recommendations to heart. I can see how you would pick up on a similar (though to a lesser degree) vibe in my short story “Pretty Girl.” I’m a product of all the writing classes that used Oates and authors like Richard Ford and Raymond Carver as prime examples of masters of the form.
Hi Jeri,
I’ve never read that one but it does sound scary and the kind that you don’t want to put down until you find out exactly what’s going to happen. Those are the kind to me that are really great reads. Might have to consider picking this one up.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
~Adrienne
I kept waiting for Ellie to jump in there and what he had to do with this? I know…buy the book ha, ha 🙂 You’ve come to know me that I prefer non-fiction but I just added this to my Amazon wish list! Off the top of my head in spontaneous thought to answer your question. I read the book Night of the Grizzlies in 1973 and two years later my family I backpacked the width of the Glazier National Park. We had a grizzly walk through our camp up on a ridge one night when we were in our tents. I sniffed, walked right past the tents…SLOWLY…and moved on. We never saw another one on the trip. So, it boomerangs back to the book as very creepy! Good post and great question, Jeri! 🙂
Mike, how cool that you’ve spent time in Glacier National Park. I’ve only had two grizzly encounters, but that’s two too many.