Arnold Friend Character Analysis

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"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" written by Joyce Oates is a short story were Arnold Friend threatens a 15 years old girl named Connie. Arnold wants to take her with him to take a ride. Connie was tempted by Arnold who seems to be the representation of the devil because of his looks and his actions, how does he look when he goes to Connie’s house, what are his actions when he is with her, and how he talks to her may be clues to know if Arnold is the devil. At first he comes to Connie and even though Arnold is a stranger, he starts to talk to Connie like if they were friends, he might know Connie, but she does no know him at all. Arnold just came to tempt her, so she can go with him supposedly to take a ride, but who knows why he wants …show more content…

Arnold knew who were the people around Connie, who are her friends, what was she doing the night he saw her outside of the restaurant, when he told her “gonna get you baby” (Oates 483). He was giving her a warning, he might be watching her for a long time, but Connie did not realized it. Arnold knew Connie was going to be home alone, so he comes to her house at that time to tempt her to go with him. He knew where her family went and what they were doing when he comes to her house, he even mentions what Connie’s sister was wearing. The devil is always tempting people to do bad things and since Arnold comes to tempt Connie that could be another reason why he might be the devil. Arnold knew that Connie was going to come with him. He has his strategies. “He had shaggy, shabby hair that looked crazy as a wig and he was grinning at her” (Oates 484). Arnold knew how to manipulate Connie because he did not touch her, he just talked to her and she leave with him. Just with his mind, he make her go with him. Practically, he forced her to go with him just with his words. “I’ll hold you so tight you won’t think you have to try to get away or pretend anything because you’ll know you can’t and I’ll come inside you were its all secret and you’ll give in to me and you’ll love me” (Oates 489). When he said that it …show more content…

For example, the name Arnold Friend, if the r in the name Arnold is removed and the an is separated from old, the name would turn into An old Friend, and according to the bible that means the devil. The numbers that were written on Arnold’s car, are supposedly to be a secret code “these numbers are a secret code…33, 19, 17” (Oates 485). Those numbers could represent the chapters and verses of a bible, also adding the two numbers 3, which equals 6, and adding 17 and 19 equals 36, dividing the 36 between 6 is equal to six, which is 6, 6, 6, that means the devil. These numbers can also represent sex, adding 33, 19, and 17 which equals 69, according to teenagers 69 is the sex number. Another symbolisms are the sunglasses and the wig Arnold is wearing. The reason why he had sunglasses and a wig on could be part of a costume, trying to hide himself and pretending to be someone he is not. The sunglasses can help Arnold to cover his eyes, and the fact he wears a wig that does not fit him may be because he has horns, and he might be the devil. “Another argument for satyr symbolism is the function of music in the story, for it always accompanies Friend as a leitmotif to his almost supernatural ability to dominate Connie” (Easterly 537). The music is played in several parts of the story, at the restaurant, at Connie’s house and even in Arnold’s car. The feelings Connie has for boys can be mixed up with the music

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