Hey guys. Don't forget to first give your genuine response, "bounce" off another's thought or initiate better discussions in your blogs.. You have opinions, so let us read them!!
• What symbolism existed in this story? (Consider all that could be symbolic in a story)
• Do you believe this symbolism was intentional and if so, why do you believe the author used this?
A subtle use of symbolism within the story is the use of flies.
The flies show up when Connie is in a crowd, this most likely represents how so many people are dead inside and so are followed by flies. Flies have been used through history in religious art as representatives of the devil, of the evil sins he plagues us with and as reminders of our own mortality. A scene I found interesting for the use of flies in this way was when the story stated that Connie "pretended to fidget, chasing flies away from the door." She was swatting at flies that weren't there, which, in keeping with the symbolic meaning, would state that she was pushing away the idea that she was mortal or could be associated with the devil herself. It is also symbolic because the flies show up as soon as Arnold Friend does, the pretend flies following his pretend cover as the average teenage boy to hide that he is actually an evil, old man.
Some of many symbols in "Where Are You Going?": the sunglasses. Sunglasses represents privacy; in this case the sunglasses were used to hide Arnold Friend's eyes and what his intentions were for Connie. "The eyes are a peek-hole into the soul.",But the author made it impossible to know if Friend was genuine or really a creep.
One symbol that I noticed would be that Arnold Friend represents The Devil. Yes it does seem that he is just guessing about what her family is doing but maybe he knows these things because he is supernatural. He has trouble walking on the earth which might occur to the devil or a satanic spirit. Also connie's feeling grow strong, at some points her feelings grow for no reason. Might he have too much control over her. It also seems that her mind was blocked from all else, it's not hard to say no to a 40 year old creepy man, shut the door and call the cops but she didn't. Why does she do what she asks of him and why is he so mellow like he knows nothing will go wrong. If it was up to me I would say that Arnold Friend is or represents the Devil in Where are you going,Where Have You Been.
There are many symbols in "Where are you going?": Arnold's boots didn't fit him and he kept stumbling around like they didn't fit because he had "hoofed feet" like the devil. Also he couldn't go in the house without permission, like the devil. i feel like these symbols were intentional because the author wanted Arnold to seem like a freaky bad person who wore a mask covering his true identity. I also thought that her going outside to him was a symbol because it seemed like he was putting her into a trance and pulling her outside. The devil is very powerful and possess someone and manipulate them into doing something.
I agree with NPypiuk with how it seems that he knows what her family is doing because he is supernatural. I also think he knows who were friends and family were because the devil knows everything about everyone, kind of like his is watching over everyone but her specifically.
One symbol I discoverd in the story were the numbers 33, 19 and 17. These numbers aren't just numbers. These number are referring to the bible. If you open the bible and you go to book 17, chapter 19 line 33, you will found the title of the story. Also, "the book of Genesis is the only book whose letters total 33(Robson 230) which, if combined with the same chapter and verse(19:17) contains a warning from God before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for over-indulgence." (Douglas Griffin) Is quite creepy to see how the author uses a prediction in the bible and connected to the story
@Ekoch, I agree that Arnold Friend symbolizes the devil. The author definitely made Arnold have a satanic mood. He also is very controlling just like the devil would be and "manipulative."
I have read this story amny times and have even acknowledged Arnold Friend as a demonic symbol, yet never considered the flies as evidence to support this. But now that I think about it, there are several other pieces of literature that have used flies as a symbolic device. Lord of the...
Daneris.. Great research. I surely hope others read your comment and realize an author's subliminal power behind her writing. Such details bring out a whole new level of interpretation and appreciation for a story and respect for an author.
Is it, perhaps, a common trend that author's are now claiming that humans are not responsible for their crimes or flaws, bu the devil? Whatever happened to Realism? What better weapon than the Devil. . Someone/ thing so mysterious, yet intimidating and endlessly personified in many forms.
People now a days try and blame their crime on something else, but that always falters because science can prove them guilty. I think the devil is a good "excuse" for a crime because there is no way of knowing if they are lying or telling the truth. He could have been possessed by the devil. No one knows. So i agree with Mrs. Erdman about authors claiming humans are not responsible for their crimes or flaws. Its like they are scared of the truth in a way.
I find that there are two very important symbols in "Where are you going? Where have you been?"The two symbols are the metallic glasses that A. Friend wears and the music that plays through Ellie's radio. I think the glasses symbolize deception, in the way that they hide his eyes so that Connie, "couldn't decide if she liked him or if he was just a jerk." It says on page 5 that "Connie blushed a little, because the glasses made it impossible for her to see just what this boy was looking at." As for the music, I believe that it symbolizes peace or a sort of haven in Connie. I noticed that every time music is playing she tends not to realize things as the really are, and her mind wanders as she often enjoys the music. With the music, I think Ellie is kind of like Connie in the way that when he is listening to the music he pays no mind to his surroundings, and is often in a daze. On page 7, " In the car, Ellie turned up the radio ad did not bother to look around them" and on page 9, " He was pressing the transistor radio up against his ear and sat there in a kind of daze." This clearly shows that with the music he is not only at peace of mind but doesn't care about anything else that is going on, almost exactly as Connie.
@DFuentes Wowzers, that actually blew my mind a little bit. I'm actually wondering now if there could be more biblical symbols hidden throughout the story. I'll have to take the story home and reread it and see if I can find anything else. The Sodom and Gomorra thing is actually really interesting, seeing as Connie was overly obsessed with herself. *Self Epiphany* What if the United States ends up becoming so lazy and self-centered that some sort of similar downfall happens? Obviously I don't think some higher being is going to smite us, but that's just my personal opinion. But really, what if some sort of political downfall happens, making it strangely ironic. But yeah.
I agree with (Dfuentes) because i am a high believer in God and i feel like God can occur anywhere and try to speak to you in many ways,but the hard part i that you never know when he's going to give you a sign so you always have to pay attention to the things that go on around you and your surroundings.
A subtle use of symbolism within the story is the use of flies.
ReplyDeleteThe flies show up when Connie is in a crowd, this most likely represents how so many people are dead inside and so are followed by flies. Flies have been used through history in religious art as representatives of the devil, of the evil sins he plagues us with and as reminders of our own mortality. A scene I found interesting for the use of flies in this way was when the story stated that Connie "pretended to fidget, chasing flies away from the door." She was swatting at flies that weren't there, which, in keeping with the symbolic meaning, would state that she was pushing away the idea that she was mortal or could be associated with the devil herself. It is also symbolic because the flies show up as soon as Arnold Friend does, the pretend flies following his pretend cover as the average teenage boy to hide that he is actually an evil, old man.
Some of many symbols in "Where Are You Going?": the sunglasses. Sunglasses represents privacy; in this case the sunglasses were used to hide Arnold Friend's eyes and what his intentions were for Connie. "The eyes are a peek-hole into the soul.",But the author made it impossible to know if Friend was genuine or really a creep.
ReplyDeleteOne symbol that I noticed would be that Arnold Friend represents The Devil. Yes it does seem that he is just guessing about what her family is doing but maybe he knows these things because he is supernatural. He has trouble walking on the earth which might occur to the devil or a satanic spirit. Also connie's feeling grow strong, at some points her feelings grow for no reason. Might he have too much control over her. It also seems that her mind was blocked from all else, it's not hard to say no to a 40 year old creepy man, shut the door and call the cops but she didn't. Why does she do what she asks of him and why is he so mellow like he knows nothing will go wrong. If it was up to me I would say that Arnold Friend is or represents the Devil in Where are you going,Where Have You Been.
ReplyDeleteThere are many symbols in "Where are you going?": Arnold's boots didn't fit him and he kept stumbling around like they didn't fit because he had "hoofed feet" like the devil. Also he couldn't go in the house without permission, like the devil. i feel like these symbols were intentional because the author wanted Arnold to seem like a freaky bad person who wore a mask covering his true identity. I also thought that her going outside to him was a symbol because it seemed like he was putting her into a trance and pulling her outside. The devil is very powerful and possess someone and manipulate them into doing something.
ReplyDeleteI agree with NPypiuk with how it seems that he knows what her family is doing because he is supernatural. I also think he knows who were friends and family were because the devil knows everything about everyone, kind of like his is watching over everyone but her specifically.
ReplyDeleteOne symbol I discoverd in the story were the numbers 33, 19 and 17. These numbers aren't just numbers. These number are referring to the bible. If you open the bible and you go to book 17, chapter 19 line 33, you will found the title of the story. Also, "the book of Genesis is the only book whose letters total 33(Robson 230) which, if combined with the same chapter and verse(19:17) contains a warning from God before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for over-indulgence." (Douglas Griffin) Is quite creepy to see how the author uses a prediction in the bible and connected to the story
ReplyDelete@Ekoch, I agree that Arnold Friend symbolizes the devil. The author definitely made Arnold have a satanic mood. He also is very controlling just like the devil would be and "manipulative."
ReplyDeleteI have read this story amny times and have even acknowledged Arnold Friend as a demonic symbol, yet never considered the flies as evidence to support this. But now that I think about it, there are several other pieces of literature that have used flies as a symbolic device. Lord of the...
ReplyDeleteDaneris.. Great research. I surely hope others read your comment and realize an author's subliminal power behind her writing. Such details bring out a whole new level of interpretation and appreciation for a story and respect for an author.
ReplyDeleteIs it, perhaps, a common trend that author's are now claiming that humans are not responsible for their crimes or flaws, bu the devil? Whatever happened to Realism? What better weapon than the Devil. . Someone/ thing so mysterious, yet intimidating and endlessly personified in many forms.
ReplyDeletePeople now a days try and blame their crime on something else, but that always falters because science can prove them guilty. I think the devil is a good "excuse" for a crime because there is no way of knowing if they are lying or telling the truth. He could have been possessed by the devil. No one knows. So i agree with Mrs. Erdman about authors claiming humans are not responsible for their crimes or flaws. Its like they are scared of the truth in a way.
ReplyDeleteI find that there are two very important symbols in "Where are you going? Where have you been?"The two symbols are the metallic glasses that A. Friend wears and the music that plays through Ellie's radio. I think the glasses symbolize deception, in the way that they hide his eyes so that Connie, "couldn't decide if she liked him or if he was just a jerk." It says on page 5 that "Connie blushed a little, because the glasses made it impossible for her to see just what this boy was looking at." As for the music, I believe that it symbolizes peace or a sort of haven in Connie. I noticed that every time music is playing she tends not to realize things as the really are, and her mind wanders as she often enjoys the music. With the music, I think Ellie is kind of like Connie in the way that when he is listening to the music he pays no mind to his surroundings, and is often in a daze. On page 7, " In the car, Ellie turned up the radio ad did not bother to look around them" and on page 9, " He was pressing the transistor radio up against his ear and sat there in a kind of daze." This clearly shows that with the music he is not only at peace of mind but doesn't care about anything else that is going on, almost exactly as Connie.
ReplyDeleteKdonalson that is so true! I never realized music kind of makes her dreamy in a way and she only sees fantasy instead of reality.
ReplyDelete@DFuentes Wowzers, that actually blew my mind a little bit. I'm actually wondering now if there could be more biblical symbols hidden throughout the story. I'll have to take the story home and reread it and see if I can find anything else. The Sodom and Gomorra thing is actually really interesting, seeing as Connie was overly obsessed with herself. *Self Epiphany* What if the United States ends up becoming so lazy and self-centered that some sort of similar downfall happens? Obviously I don't think some higher being is going to smite us, but that's just my personal opinion. But really, what if some sort of political downfall happens, making it strangely ironic. But yeah.
ReplyDeleteI agree with (Dfuentes) because i am a high believer in God and i feel like God can occur anywhere and try to speak to you in many ways,but the hard part i that you never know when he's going to give you a sign so you always have to pay attention to the things that go on around you and your surroundings.
ReplyDeleteVery impressive insight, ladies.
ReplyDelete