Mythic and Fairy

The feeling of imp ratiocinationing danger as the story progresses is created for the reviewer in Joyce Carol Oates short story, Where ar You Going, Where Have You Been?, through employing mythicalal elements to grow across what is happening in the plot. Through emerge(a) the story, she uses some(a)(prenominal) descriptions boyfriendd with the discommode to serve as metaphors for the manful character and what happens to Connie as also emblematical of the power of evil to tempt, conquer, and destroy the individual.Connie is the im time of innocence. A young girl of fifteen, she is at the time of adolescence when young women begin to research beyond their childhood lives and realize a taste of how it is equal to be a grown-up. She is also pretty, obsessed with mirrors and fussing with her look fors. She is very un worry her pl ain older sister. Like close pretty girls her age who want turbulence and non be plain and soaked like the sister, Connie is giggly and eage r for new things, asleep that danger lurks organize to exploit the fantasies of girls like her. She is like innocent Red locomote Hood who thinks the woods are nice, versed places to travel through unaware of the animate being that lives within.After describing Connie and her family, the author introduces the technique of incorporating mythic element in the story by describing the drive-in eating place as a sacred building that loomed up out of the night to give them what haven and blessings they yearned forthe symphony waslike music at a church service The restaurant is a wholesome place for young sight to meet and enjoy each another(prenominal)s company. However, once Connie gets out of the restaurant towards the parking lot, she is not safe any more(prenominal).The devil lurks just outside sacred places, ready to tempt anyone who gets out of the temple and who is volition to do something naughty and fun. It is outside where Connie sees Arnold relay transmitter for the first time although they would not be introduced to each other then as Connie is with Eddie, a wholesome boy her age whom she meets in the sacred restaurant.Right after that first meeting, the story begins its creepy step as the author focuses on Arnold confederate and uses mythological and cultural associations with the devil to render him. One association is how Arnold adorer comes into the draft and how he looks like. His approach is announced by the glow of slow-pulsed joy that seemed to rise enigmatic exclusivelyy out of the music which Connie was listening to at the time her parents and sister went to a barbecue political party at her aunts one weekend, leaving her alone in the house. Rock and roll music, songs that are profligate and hard, is associated with rebellious teenagers.Arnold admirer appears to her with a didder song in the background and tone like a rock wizard himself, just like the men in Connies fantasize. He had fair embrown hairsideburns (that) gave him a fierce, embarrassed lookwore sun spyglassestight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how move he wasthe jaw and chin and cheeks jolly darkened because he hadnt neatenand the nose massive and hawklike. His features are sharp, his gussy up scruffy, and his bearing is very manly. He appeals to her fantasy to look appealing to her, thus fashioning it easier to achieve his purpose.However, the skin around his eyes, which she notices when he takes off his glasses, was like holes that were not in shadow only if instead in light. The eyes themselves were like chips of broken glass that light in an amiable way. They were satanic eyes, bright and unlike normal homophile eyes. When he speaks, it is in a uncomplicated lilting voice, exactly as if he were reciting the words to a song. He incessantly smiles, too.His disclose is Arnold Friend, an obvious pun on fiend. He is obviously a bad guy with bad intentions hardly one who disguises them well. No other name is more trustworthy than one who has Friend for a family name.Arnold rides a golden jalopy. The undimmed car symbolizes how the temptations of evil always come in a dazzling and winning package. Connie herself is amused and fascinated with the car. He uses signals and confidential codes. When the car comes to a stop by the front door, the horn sounded four taps. Beside Arnold Friends car are more codes the numbers 33, 19, and 17. He also tells Connie at one point during their conversation that he has a sign, the letter X. Superstition, with its preoccupation with codes, signs and numbers, is committed with the dark side.Another association is the prompt that Arnold Friend knows everything about Connie and is even telepathic. When he calls Connie by name, she is surprised since she never introduced herself at any time before he drives into their doorstep. He knows the names of her family members, all her friends from school, and tells h er that he can see what is happening at Aunt Tillies barbecue party at the very moment that he is talking to her.Connie, of course, realizes the danger she is in although it takes some time to sink in because at first she thinks she can just let go Arnold off and he would simply contribute her alone. She knows the clues to the kind of brewing trouble she is cladding with Arnold when she recognizes that sleepy dreamy smile that all the boys used to get across ideas they didnt want to put into wordsand the singsong way he talked, slightly mocking, kidding, but serious She knows the game of temptation and she tries to hold as hard as she could. posterior on in the conversation, however, when Connie continues to resist and especially when she threatens him with calling the police, Arnold soft takes off the robe he has put on to arrive at her with pleasingness and becomes soak upful. Evil cannot keep on its sweet face when it realizes how it is on the margin of defeat. When it cannot get its way through sweet talk and wheedling, it would resort to the use of force and violence. Connie also recognizes the shift and she feels real terror and fear. Arnold makes it clear to her when he says, the place where you came from aint there any more, and where you had in mind to go is cancelled out. Of course, Connie could have called her parents or the police and it could have panic-stricken Arnold off and leave her.After all, she is in spite of appearance the house while he is locked outside. He cannot go in and it would have taken him some time to break the door, long enough for Connie to make the call. But like the devil, he plays with her weakness, confusion and fear at the moment. Arnold controls himself, knowing that it would work better if Connie comes out of her own will. He continues to seduce her with promises of a pleasurable experience. He promises to bring her to a nice field, out in the area here where Arnold will have (his) blazon tight around ( her). He tries to influence her that she is better than any of her family members and only he can understand her and her needs best.Towards the end of the story, Arnold keeps coaxing until Connie feels she is not herself anymore. The author describes it as an incantation. She is lured and hypnotized by his words. She has become an percipient watching herself put out her submit against the screenpush the door slowly openmoving out into the sunniness where Arnold Fiend waited. She has given up herself to the devil. She has go from grace. She will never be the akin again.Using descriptive elements associated with the mythical savage called the devil proves to be an effective technique in developing the story because it adds that redundant element of scariness in the reading. The reader associate what is happening in the story with the particular(a) imageries and it intensifies the suspense and anticipation of the obviously tragic ending of the female character. The ending is n ot only about Connie giving herself up to Arnold. It is also about how evil has tempted innocence, wins everyplace her, and leads her to a terrible end.Work CitedOates, Joyce Carol. Where atomic number 18 You Going, Where Have You Been?