Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Summary

Charles Howard Schmid, Jr. also known as "The Pied Piper of Tucson," was an American serial killer. In the story, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates, the character Arnold Friend was based on the serial killer in which Connie was one of the many victims he had abducted. There are many possibilities on how the author intends the readers to understand it. Such as, it could be a dream that Connie is having, in all actuality it could be real; it could send a message to young women, or it becomes a nightmare when he comes as a demonic figure. Connie has been living this fantasy like existence until she encounters Arnold Friend.
She is pretty, well-liked, and has been able to seduce any boy she wants. While,
Also in the story he is wearing boots, is as if his feet are not all the way in them, maybe because he has hooves like the devil and can’t wear boots. There is also the fact that she is a young girl who has gotten little attention from her family, and especially her dad that
"was away at work most of the time," when in her thoughts this devil man only wants her when no one else does(Oates1).

The last hypothesis is that this story could be best understood realistically.
That the man Charles Howard Schmid, Jr. really chose to stalk Connie and chose to take her away from her home. This could very likely be true because why could the author base a character on someone and it not be real? Why would someone give so many details in a story and it not be real? There are so many questions that could make this story not a dream and no demonic figure. On the other hand, if it were real then how would all this other evidence come into play? The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates is