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Allusions
Foil
Explanation and Analysis—Connie and June:
In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Connie’s sister June acts as her foil, meaning that the ways in which Connie is different from June reveal important qualities of Connie’s character. The following passage, which comes near the beginning of the story, establishes the two as foils:
[Connie’s] sister June was twenty-four and still lived at home. She was a secretary in the high school Connie attended, and if that wasn't bad enough—with her in the same building—she was so plain and chunky and steady that Connie had to hear her praised all the time by her mother and her mother's sisters. June did this, June did that, she saved money and helped clean the house and cooked and Connie couldn't do a thing, her mind was all filled with trashy daydreams.
Here the narrator focuses on how different Connie and June are, noting that June is “plain” and “chunky” and works a clerical job at Connie’s high school, which Connie, who cares a lot more about her appearance and reputation, is embarrassed by. June also “save[s] money and help[s] clean the house” while Connie “[can’t] do a thing” because her mind is full of “trashy daydreams.”
By contrasting the two sisters in this way, Oates communicates that Connie is attractive and focused on her looks (which explains why Arnold might have chosen to target her), that Connie is alienated from her family, who prefers June over her (which explains why she stays home when they all go off to a barbecue, leaving her vulnerable to Arnold’s arrival), and that Connie is prone to romantic fantasy (which makes her an easier target for Arnold’s manipulations).
Related Themes:
