Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

by

Joyce Carol Oates

Arnold Friend’s sidekick, Ellie is passive and quietly disturbing character in the story. He sits in the passenger seat of Friend’s car holding the transistor radio. Connie observes that while, like Friend, Ellie is also older than he originally appeared, he is also strangely undeveloped and completely submissive. Indeed, the only time he speaks is to ask Friend if he wants him to rip out the telephone cord to prevent Connie from calling the police.
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Ellie Character Timeline in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

The timeline below shows where the character Ellie appears in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
Appearances and Deception Theme Icon
Agency, Control, and Manipulation Theme Icon
The Presence of Evil  Theme Icon
Loss of Innocence  Theme Icon
Friend abruptly begins speaking about the boy in the passenger seat, Ellie, who continues listening to the radio in a kind of daze until Friend pounds on... (full context)
Agency, Control, and Manipulation Theme Icon
Music and Romantic Fantasy Theme Icon
Loss of Innocence  Theme Icon
Friend is unperturbed by Connie’s threats to call the police. Ellie asks if Friend wants him to pull out the phone, and Friend tells him to... (full context)
Agency, Control, and Manipulation Theme Icon
The Presence of Evil  Theme Icon
Loss of Innocence  Theme Icon
...you know who I am?” and telling her, “You come out and we’ll drive away.” Ellie again offers to pull out the phone, and Friend again tells him to shut up... (full context)