How does the story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" show how women are oppressed in a patriarchal society?

From the very outset of the story, Oates implies that women are expected to adhere to traditional gender roles. In the first paragraph, she indicates that Connie meets society’s expectations for women by prioritizing physical beauty above all else, as Connie thinks “she was pretty and that was everything.” Connie notes that she is compared unfavorably to her sister, who “saved money and helped clean the house and cooked”; these activities also reflect traditional roles...

From the very outset of the story, Oates implies that women are expected to adhere to traditional gender roles. In the first paragraph, she indicates that Connie meets society’s expectations for women by prioritizing physical beauty above all else, as Connie thinks “she was pretty and that was everything.” Connie notes that she is compared unfavorably to her sister, who “saved money and helped clean the house and cooked”; these activities also reflect traditional roles for women. Ultimately, though, looks seem to be more important (“Connie thought that her mother preferred her to June because she was prettier”), which suggests that women in this world are objectified rather than having agency of their own. This provides the backdrop for the larger action of the story.

The tension between Connie and the ironically named Arnold Friend serves as the most obvious representation of the oppression of women within a patriarchal society. Friend finds Connie at her home, a place that is supposed to be safe and secure, and threatens her family. Throughout the characters’ interactions, Oates carefully chooses words that highlight the unwanted aggression of men toward women. Arnold initially approaches Connie “grinning at her,” while Connie is on the defense, “careful to show no interest or pleasure.” As Arnold becomes more and more insistent that Connie bend to his will, she experiences “another wave of dizziness and fear rising in her,” viewing him as “just a blur” and feeling “light-headed.” Connie is “panting” and her fingers are “shaking” as Arnold tells her, “I’m always nice at first, the first time” and then “gently” questions why she would bother to lock the flimsy screen door. As he points out, “This place you are now—inside your daddy’s house—is nothing but a cardboard box I can knock down any time.” Ultimately Connie does give in, recognizing her body “wasn’t really hers.” Symbolically, Arnold Friend represents male desire for women, and Connie is forced to yield to his will against her wishes, just as women have so often been forced to do what men want.