Who Is Arnold Friend - 1591 Words

Who is Arnold Friend? Joyce Carol Oates was born June 16, 1938 in Lockport New York. At a young age Oates started writing. Scenes from her early environment are frequently used as settings in her stories. In her elementary years she wrote stories and â€Å"constructed 200 page books, which she designed and bound herself† (Helterman and Layman 371). The lack of information provided about her early years and her making large books at a young age is a good indication that she was an outcast and had a troubled childhood. This troubled childhood had an influence on her writing style. Oates’ style is described by Helterman and Layman as â€Å"minute details, extended dialogue and violent action† (378). Oates’ style is shown through the story of Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been through the characters Arnold Friend and Connie. Critics seem to like how Oates style allows for many interpretations while covering broad topics and popular interests like feminis m, treatment of women, and freedom. In the story of Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Oates writes about a chain of events through the point of view of Connie. In the beginning Connie describes a normal outing with her friend and an encounter with a boy named Eddie. During Connie’s hanging out with Eddie she spots a man staring at her. Later her parents, whom Connie is not on the greatest terms with, and her sister go to a barbeque leaving Connie alone at home. The same man from her outing arrives at her house and offers toShow MoreRelatedJoyce Carol Oates Where Are You Going Where Have You Been1502 Words   |  7 Pagesnamed Connie who does not seem to have a care in the world. The story takes place in the seventies. Connie is a girl who just wants to have fun and is all about her appearance and boys. In the beginning of the story, you understand the relationship between the mother and Connie. The mother appears to be malicious of her young and beautiful Connie sayin g such harsh things about her beauty, â€Å"Stop gawking at yourself, who are you? You think you’re so pretty?† (145). Her sister June, who the mother constantlyRead MoreWhere Are You Going, Where Have You Been?989 Words   |  4 PagesArnold Friend, a main character founded in the short story, â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?† by Joyce Carol Oates, is often a debated by many readers to be a demon, a crazed stalker and maniac, or in fact Lucifer himself. After reading the short story and analyzing the details of the characters, Arnold Friend really stands out and leaves many unanswered questions on what the author was intending to do with this particular character in identifying who he really is. After thoroughly analyzingRead MoreSimilarities Between The Devil And Arnold Friend907 Words   |  4 PagesNot everybody is who they seem to be. Be careful about what you wish for, because it just might come true. In Joyce Carol Oates’ â€Å"s hort story† â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?†, a fifteen year old girl named Connie comes face-to-face with a man named Arnold Friend. Oates successfully portrays the similarities between Arnold Friend and the Devil through plot, setting, and characterization. Throughout the text, Oates shows the reader Arnold Friend’s characteristic sinister ability to drawRead MoreStarting At A New School887 Words   |  4 Pagesa New School The first day of school can be terrifying for some students. However, there are some important and helpful tips that can help start your journey on the right track, such as how to handle with those who are racist, how to face people who do the bullying, how to make friends in the classroom and extracurricular activities, and how to handle outside influences that impact on students’ learning. Starting at a new school can be challenging for some new students. New students may experienceRead MoreWhere Are You Going, Where Have You Been1249 Words   |  5 Pagesvulnerable to Arnold Friend’s temptation. Through the use of a symbolic figure, Arnold Friend, who represents the devil, Oates is able to manifest the power struggle between youth and maturity and how Connie strives to obtain the power that comes with maturity. As seen throughout the story, those who are younger are portrayed as powerless and looked down upon. This is mostly defined in Connie as she struggles to reach maturity. At home, she is viewed as a young, immature child who cannot do anythingRead MoreArnold Friend Analysis1096 Words   |  5 Pages12 16 November 2017 Arnold Friend our symbolic Satan There are many ideas about what or who the Devil is, even among believers. The number of differing sources and translations have led to plenty of inconsistencies, rumors, and assumptions surrounding the Prince of Darkness. Throughout the short story â€Å"Where Are You going, Where Have You Been?†, Arnold Friend is seen as a symbolic Satan. Joyce Carol Oates uses dialogue, characterization, and plot to show the readers how Arnold embodies features ofRead MoreArnold Friend Symbolism Analysis790 Words   |  4 Pagesunexpected visitors. Oates uses symbolism throughout the short story to support her theme of evilness and sinfulness. There are many examples of symbolism being used in this story, with Arnold Friend being the most important symbol. When Arnold Friend and Ellie arrive to Connie’s house she notices something strange about Arnold. For one, they pulled up in a bright gold car with writing all over it. His name is written on the car along with a grinning face with sunglasses and three random numbers. She noticesRead MoreThe Characteristics Of The Arnold Friend1436 Words   |  6 PagesSchmid Jr. to develop her fictional character Arnold Friend. Charles Howard Schmid Jr. was convicted of murdering three girls in the mid-sixties. He was coined with the nickname â€Å"the Pied Piper† by Don Moser, a writer for Life Magazine who wrote a piece on the killer in 1966. The nickname suited Charles Schmid well, considering his tactics were similar to the character of an old story about the Pied Piper of Hamelin (Buvson). The story tells of a man who was hired by townspeople to chase away theRead More Where Are You Going? Essay1052 Words   |  5 Pageswith her beauty, Arnold Friend’s car and Arnold Friend himself help to understand the story’s theme of evil and manipulation. The story, peppered with underlying tones of evil, finds Oates writing about 15-year-old Connie, the protagonist of the story, a pretty girl who is a little too into her own attractiveness, which eventually gets her into trouble with a man named Arnold Friend. The story is liberally doused with symbolism, from the way Connie dresses to the shoes on Arnold Friend’s feet. InRead MoreWhere Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates1008 Words   |  5 Pagesher friends. When Connie is at home, she acts childlike. However, when she goes out she tries to act like an adult by changing her clothes and the way she talks. She has an older sister who shadows her with her smarts, but Connie believes that she is more beautiful and worthy than June. June is twenty-two years old, very well behaved and is actually close with their mother. Connie not only struggles with her family, but also gets herself into a bind with a much older man named Arnold Friend. This