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Karl Pasciak
Mrs. Carter
AP Literature and Composition
22 September 2013
The Wonderfully Creepy Story
In the short story Where are you going? Where have you been? Arnold friend is a creepy
almost unhuman man that is stalking the main character Connie: a beautiful, nave, innocent, yet
conceited teenage girl. Starting with Arnolds statement, Gonna getcha baby there is foreshadowing
Connies eventual agreement to ride alongside Arnold. The author uses every word to foreshadow
Connies decision to take a ride in Arnold Friends vehicle.
The smallest of details could be overlooked the first time reading, yet the second read through
phrases similar to They didnt bother with going to Church today or Connies mother telling her that
she would be home alone set a dark mood. Alone creates a new tone of ostracization. A different word
would set an opposite tone: Oates could have phrased it You will have to stay home then. This would
keep the tone from becoming dark. The author used the diction to foreshadow that she will only be
alone for a while, before someone shows up, someone like Arnold. Other details increase the creepy
tone, such as Arnold saying: I know your name and all about you, lots of things . . . All the details
foreshadow Connie surrendering to Arnold and agreeing to his plan.
The tone plays a significant role in foreshadowing by changing throughout the story. The tone in
the beginning of the fiction is critical, but as soon as Arnold is introduced there is a slight eerie feeling
also introduced. As the story continues the tone becomes more disturbing. For example, the tone
gradually becomes darker with Arnold admitting he knows everything about Connie and the authors
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description of Ellie. With a tone that is becoming more sinister, Oates is hinting of Connies decision to
resign, that she will eventually leave the house and enter Arnolds car. The tone foreshadows her
leaving the safety of her house and submitting to Arnolds intentions.
The imagery found in this short story is another key factor that adds to the foreshadowing. In
the beginning the imagery portrays a careless everyday high school student hanging out with her
friends, it changes and projects more sinister imagery with the introduction of Arnold Friend, his
ominous car, and the creepily described person inside it. With the ominous imagery conveyed, a more
ominous ending is foreshadowed; the foreshadowing hints to the idea of Connie giving in, and blatantly
hints at Arnolds intentions are.
Authors choose their words carefully to add meaning, change the tone, or convey an image.
Some smaller details could easily be overlooked, others set an eerie tone which causes goose bumps to
form on the readers skin, and more were incorporated into imagery to paint ominous scenes in the
readers minds. In this case all of the words also foreshadowed Connie leaving her house with Arnold in
his golden jalopy.