The Hidden Identity of Arnold Friend The world is full of people who portray themselves as someone or something else. People usually hide their identity to obtain things that they want. It is common to be fooled by someone's appearance. In Joyce Carol Oates's, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been," Arnold Friend is an example of someone trying to trick another person into believing that he is something that he is not. In the story, a girl named Connie is confronted by a man who is trying
to say Arnold’s friend most exemplifies evil. Arnold Friend could be an allegorical devil figure, the protagonist who lures Connie into riding off with him in his car, or, in the contrary, far more a grotesque portrait of a psychopathic killer masquerading as a teenager. However, he has all the traditional, sinister traits of that arch deceiver and source of grotesque terror, the devil, with his painted eyelashes, shaggy hair, and stuffed boots. In the story, Oates does make Arnold out to be a psychopathic
setting, characterization and dialogue Joyce Carol Oates successfully achieves the idea of Arnold Friend as a symbolic satan. A crucial setting in the story is the shopping plaza, as it helps to give Arnold Friend a satanic aura. The text states, “Connie couldn't help but look back at the darkened shopping plaza with it's big empty parking lot and it's signs that were faded and ghostly now” (Oates#2). After Friend shows up the parking lot is not the same. His presence seems to change the aura of the
She is self centered and loves thinking about boys. One in particular is Arnold Friend, who catches Connie’s attention from the moment he drives by the restaurant. It was only a short encounter, but his gold convertible would stay in her mind. At first he seems like a normal boy just passing by in his convertible, but as the story progresses he shows his true self. He is not what and who he says he is. From the beginning Arnold seems to be a very scheming and assertive person. While this story is following
the whole scene a dream or was Arnold Friend really the devil? Those two speculations represent a big part of the story, the character who is often forgotten in analysis, continues to be Ellie Oscar. Although he rarely speaks, Ellie’s mysterious and passive identity is still important. In the article titled, “The Identity of Ellie Oscar Reconsidered” by Anthony Ellis, he offers the idea that Ellie and Eddie were actually the same person, which would explain where Arnold got his information about Connie
This device is mostly used in the climax of the narrative when Arnold Friend is trying to persuade Connie to leave with him. Although he is depicted in a demonic way, Connie is attracted to him. He is assertive and confident, but uses pet names like “honey” and “sweetheart” to groom her into trusting him. His voice sounds, “like a hero in a movie, declaring something important” (Oates 673). Arnold is charming and charismatic while being threatening. His last name suggests friendliness
story, there are two characters who stands out the most. They were Connie and Arnold Friend. Connie was a fifth teen-year-old girl who thought she had the world all figured out and some. But, once Connie met a guy named Arnold Friend he changed her whole perception of what is true reality versus imagination. Arnold seemed like someone who took advantage of women and used them for their needs. Throughout the story, Arnold Friend seemed like a smooth charmer towards a fifth teen-year-old girl. Connie was
centralized antagonists, Arnold Friend and The Misfit, that are the archetype of a bad guy with a troubled past. Both short stories have subliminal messages hinting towards the devil. But if you start reading deeper you can see that’s not all they are portrayed, as seen in the short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, the Misfit could also be portrayed as an archetype as a savior or a seer that has lost his way, although in “Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? “, Arnold Friend could be portrayed
The loss of Innocence Through Arnold Friend In her short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Joyce Carol Oates portrays the loss of innocence into adulthood of a self absorbed fifteen year old girl, Connie, through the demonic antagonist,Arnold Friend, created through internal and external events. The story takes place in a suburban area, in Connie's family home or the local mall where Arnold Friend and Connie meet. Some of the more critical events are internal; these events are given
young girl who is abducted and later murdered. The story starts out innocently enough, the young girl, Connie, is sneaking off with her to friend to go hang out with boys just like any teenager might do. It is not until the next day, when Connie stays at home that the nightmare she is about to experience begins. Oates reveals the character of antagonist Arnold Friend, through her use of dialogue, physical description, and contrast between fantasy and reality. Music is a very prevalent theme in this
slightly rebellious, mature, confident female who has a bit of experience with boys. Connie goes out with her friends one night to see a movie and flirt with different boys. She wonders off in the dark a little too far, crossing a mysterious character that marks Connie as his. He shows up at her house one day, surprising her and scaring her. The mysterious character introduces himself as Arnold Friend. He continues speaking, but does not need Connie to reveal any information about herself because he already
this short story. The whole story concentrates on two main characters, which is a young girl, whose name is Connie, and Arnold Friend the evil character. Oates presents Connie as a fifteen year old girl, that is really concerned by her looks. She is adware how pretty she is
eventually a “Friend” comes to release her of her deprivation. Through plot, characterization, and setting, in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Joyce Carol Oates successfully achieves making Arnold Friend a savior for Connie. Oates uses plot to build up to Arnold Friend’s unexpected arrival. In the short story, “It was a boy with shaggy black hair, convertible jalopy painted gold [...] without Eddie noticing anything” (Oates 1). Connie is walking with Eddie to his car when she sees Arnold. Arnold
to adulthood. Arnold Friend is an important character in Connie’s story because he is one of the main reasons she goes undergoes a change. In short, while Connie is going through a teenage phase of exploring sexuality, he comes to Connie’s house to
Been? a theme is built around the actions and personalities of two main characters, Connie and Arnold Friend. Connie, the primary protagonist, longs to be free of the childhood she feels
into the structure of society. With the theme being violence Oates questions the history of humanity. To strengthen her theme Oates uses literary devices. The devices are symbolism, foreshadowing and motifs. One example of symbolism is Arnold Friend’s car. Arnold Friend is also used by Oates when she uses foreshadowing. Due to Oates’s writing style she subjected herself to many critics. Tracy M. Caldwell and Tom Quirk are two of many examples of critics who critique Oates’s work. By using symbolism
along with psychotic like characters such as Arnold Friend (WAYG) and the narrator (The Black Cat). Poe's character the
widely read among the collegiate community. The story has caused numerous critics to put forth opinions about the characters, plot, and ambiguity; however, no one has largely agreed to accept all of them as a whole—as a single meaning or message. Arnold Friend’s arrival on the scene of the story marks the beginning of most critical arguments and suggestions. His character is that of a sexually hungry predator who goads Connie into his embrace. The allusions
The Devil as Your Friend Have you ever wondered why or how people can manipulate themselves as the devil to receive what they desire? In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, a short fictional story by Joyce Carol Oates, the devil is allegedly hidden as one of the main characters, Arnold Friend. Through characterization, setting, and plot, Joyce Carol Oates successfully portrays Arnold Friend as a symbolic Satan. Arnold Friend is similar to Satan in his characterization provided by Joyce
Who or What is Arnold Friend? In Joyce Carol Oates “Where are you Going, Where have you been”, one of the characters is revealed to have a sinister and malevolent agenda. This character’s name is Arnold Friend. A man with a charming tongue and a diabolical nature. He is a very mysterious person in the story. The question about him is who is he? or even worse what is he? He is primarily based on Charles Schmid and his acts Tucson. His character has readers questioning if he is a a