Arnold Friend Comparison

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Recommended: Compare the book and film

Where Are You Going, Where have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates is a tale of a naive young lass taking her first steps into the illusion of the teenage dream. For the regular viewer of the film Smooth Talk, one would not pick up on the elaborate history behind the movie. Dating back to the 1960’s, the written story sheds very little light on the true sadistic nature of the means and intentions of Arnold Friend. Going back even further, the written tale is based on Life Magazine's article “The Pied Piper of Tucson” the true story of a middle aged man who preys on adolescent girls, getting away with devious sexual acts and sometimes murdering said adolescents. Without this previous knowledge, both the story and the movie seem for the most part innocent, with only a tad of creepiness generated …show more content…

Though, a significant area of difference comes from the description of his height and his charade to mask his small build. In the written version it speaks of Arnold being relatively wobbly or clumsy on his feet, the reason being his height, Arnold actually stuffs his rugged leather boots in order to appear taller than he truly is. Specifically, as he goes to step up on the front porch, “She looked to see Arnold Friend pause and then take a step toward the porch, lurching. He almost fell. But, like a clever drunken man, he managed to catch his balance. He wobbled in his high boots and grabbed hold of one of the porch posts.” The film never really gives any insight or physical cues that Friend isn’t steady on his feet, while the written rendition gives a brief cue but the true nature of his unsteady anor can only be discovered through reading the “Pied Piper of Tuscon” the article that led to the story. In every other aspect, Arnold Friend’s characterization is a direct match between the movie and story, down to the details of his car and suave

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