Literary Devices Used To Foreshadow

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Taylor Hunt
Mrs. Carter
AP Literature
25 September 2013
Literary Devices Used to Foreshadow
Joyce Carol Oates eerie short story Where Are You Going Where Have You Been has
a very dark ending for protagonist Connie. In many ways the author foreshadows this dark
ending with various literary devices. In order to properly analyze these literary devices and how
they foreshadow the main characters grim end one should view them in a linear fashion, from
the beginning of the story to the end.
This story opens with the short sentence Her name was Connie. As an opening
sentence, this implies that were talking about Connie in the past tense, as if she isnt here
anymore. This sentence also reveals the point of view, third person limited; this point of view
allows us to understand Connies thoughts and actions while still admitting us to a more
distanced perspective of the action. The story goes on to describe her resentment towards her
family and the lack of affection and attention she receives, characterizing Connie as the type of
teenager who seeks that affection and attention from places outside of the home, which
ultimately leads to her initial interaction with her killer.
At this point the story changes the subject to Connies evenings out with her girl friends.
In this section of the story were introduced to the imagery of the drive-in restaurant, which is
described with con flicting imagery of life and death, as well as youth and age; the imagery of
the drive-in also includes the description of the pounding, dependable, insisting music. The drive
in is also foreshadowing in that its the setting for introduction of Arnold Friend. Arnolds
Taylor Hunt 4/29/14 4:05 PM
Comment [1]: DELETE
Comment [2]: Replace
Taylor Hunt 5/5/14 12:41 AM
Comment [3]: Delete
Comment [4]: Repeating yourself
Comment [5]: Theres a more intelligent
way to transition.
Comment [6]: Weak
Comment [7]: Passive voice
Comment [8]: Um?
Comment [9]: Examples from text needed.
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actions as well as the setting in which he is introduced combine to characterize Arnold as well as
foreshadow Connies imminent demise.
After the stories trip to the drive-in it returns to Connies house to provide more
dimensions to her character. We learn in this section of the story that Connies nightlong
adventures are commonplace in her description of her night to her sister. The author further
characterizes Connie as solitary by showing that she tends to internally separate herself from her
friends as well as physically separate herself from her family. Theres also another imagery of
music, . . . [Connie] bathed in a glow of slow-pulsed joy that seemed to rise mysteriously out of
the music itself and lay languidly about the airless little room . . ..
As Arnold Friend pulls into Connies driveway our focus moves outward from Connie to
her interaction with Arnold. With Arnold comes the imagery of his sunglasses, mirrors on his
eyes that reflected her image back at her miniaturized, foreshadowing his suspicious behavior
with Connies comfortableness at not being able to tell where hes looking. Theres also another
imagery of music, as Arnold points out Ellies radio. Arnold himself is described more than once
as tarlike, and his full name, Arnold Friend, is used often to remind the reader of the irony that he
is decisively not Connies friend. His car is painted in a bright metallic gold with expressions . .
. kids had used the year before but didnt use this year painted on them, possibly in order to
symbolize Arnolds age and alluring nature.
As Connie becomes more questioning the tone becomes progressively darker. Connies
line of questioning about his knowledge of her and his age along with his mention of his sign
foreshadows Arnolds evil intentions. As Connie comes into the knowledge that neither Arnold
nor Ellie are teenager the story takes on a distinctively darker tone. Arnolds vague description of
Connies family at the barbeque is a subtle threat that foreshadows his more direct threat later on
Comment [10]: Examples!
Comment [12]: Connies trip to the drive
in*
Comment [13]: Meaning/effect?
Comment [14]: Typo but there has to be a
better word for this.
Comment [15]: Better support
Comment [16]: Meaning/effect
Comment [20]: Delete
Comment [21]: Becomes needs to be
deleted in at least one place
Comment [22]: More detail
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in the story. In fact, much of Arnold dialogue, as it moves from conversational and persuasive to
directly creepy and threatening, is foreshadowing heinous actions. The imagery of his masklike
face and his wobbling foreshadow that hes not who is trying to be.
As Connie begins to be consumed with fear the imagery becomes more and more blurred
and confusing. Connies horrible end unfolds as Arnolds faade falls apart. His truly wicked
actions and intentions the author so carefully foreshadowed in all of her deliberate literary
devices are revealed in the final, terrifying, scene.
Comment [23]: ^ his
Comment [24]: More clear syntax,
meaning lost if not read closely
Comment [26]: Delete

Literary Devices Used To Foreshadow

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