Arnold Friend Character Analysis

Words: 1134
Pages: 5
Open Document
A character study of Arnold Friend from “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a complicated thing to do. Arnold can be interpreted in many different ways. Joyce Carol Oates gives the character Arnold Friend an interesting part by taking historical ideas and re-introducing them in a character. Some examples of historical ideas would be things such as the Pied Piper, music, and even the devil. First off, in instances, Arnold Friend was thought of as the devil. The ways that he seduced girls, sometimes killed them, and the way he lied and acted, led some people to think this way. Mostly everything he did was a sin, and people knew this. He was terrifying and unforgettable. He was also even considered again as a savior. There is …show more content…
He does everything that he can to ensure that he gets what he wants, even at the cost of another individual’s innocence, or even their life. By the looks of it, this is not the first time that Arnold Friend has done this to a girl. It makes you wonder how many lives Arnold has ruined. He manipulates them to make them think they are doing something that they want to do, but really, it is what Arnold wants them to do. Slowly, throughout the story, it is noticeable that Connie has started to become more and more of the “typical teenager” and it is because Arnold is influencing …show more content…
The problems with rats could be Connie's life, filled with problems. There are certain things that she wouldn't mess with. Then, the Pied Piper comes in. Which Arnold Friend represents. Promising them hope and to free them of their problems. Arnold Friend presented the same options to Connie. Then, when they offered the Piper fifty thousand florins for doing the job, he accepted. Arnold wanted to give Connie anything that would get her to do what he wanted. Arnold played his music, and Connie followed, falling for this stranger. He seduced Connie, but when she wouldn’t go with him like he wanted, he punished her. Arnold threatened to hurt her family. He was not going to come inside unless she touched the phone. She went for the phone, and he came inside. No one knows how the story ended, but in the end, the moral is always the same. Don’t trust
Show More

Related Documents: Arnold Friend Character Analysis

Character Analysis Of Arnold Friend In Oates 'Coming Of Age Story'

fast when evil comes knocking at her door. One Sunday she encounters Arnold Friend, a seemingly friendly man who is actually the devil, and she must decide whether or not to accompany him for a joy ride. As a clue regarding Arnold’s true identity, Oates describes how, “One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasn’t in it. It pointed out to the left, bent at the ankle” (Oates 10). This characterization of Arnold implies that he does not have human feet, but rather demonic hooves. His…

Words 313 - Pages 2

Character Analysis Of Arnold Friend In Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Where Have You Been? we meet this mysterious character named Arnold Friend, who we never really find out who he is or what he wants. One day he randomly shows up at this girl Connie’s house in his gold “gloppy” and tries to take her for a ride. There’s many different things he could want or is planning on doing with Connie, some of these things could be violent or he could just really want to take her for a ride. Either way, we still never know who Arnold is and the way he acts and looks makes him…

Words 382 - Pages 2

Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis The short, fictional stories of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You been?” and “A Rose for Emily” depicts dark, and mysterious characteristics of Arnold Friend and Emily Grieson, whom both have a sense of drive that they must fulfill. It is as if they are stuck in the borderline of what is sanely dark or pure evil. Not only do their motives fulfill this sense of relief within themselves, but they stop at nothing to get what they want; Even if they have to resort to the…

Words 737 - Pages 3

Analysis Of Where Are You Going Where Have You Been

Typically when you read a story, you don’t look for its deep meaning, nor do you really care what it is. You read the story, then you go on with your life. In the effort to change my terrible habits, This is my attempt at my own personal analysis for the story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.” The story was released in 1966, and at the time let reporters scrambling to find its meaning. Connie is 15 years old in the story, and is always having trouble with her mom and sister. Disobeying…

Words 720 - Pages 3

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Now you can explore how the dynamic between Connie and Arnold exemplifies the significant…

Words 967 - Pages 4

Nowhere, Nowhere Essay

Nowhere, Nowhere: An Analysis of Oates’ “Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been? In their teenage years, many girls have a rude, self obsessed mentality, and do not really care for anyone but themselves. This mentality is not necessarily their true identity, but rather a wall they put up to shield themselves from the outside world. In many situations, people try to act older and more mature than they actually are by sometimes doing or saying things to create this illusion; but in most cases…

Words 1704 - Pages 7

Semiotic Analysis of Teenage Magazine Front Covers Essay

chosen these specific texts as they are popular mainstream magazines that are available in most newsagents, and therefore arguably represent to the reader what constitutes the modern teenage girl. These are also the most recent issues available for analysis and therefore demonstrate an up-to-date representation of constructed femininity in our media and society. Jonathan Bignell (1997) argues that the…

Words 3410 - Pages 14

Essay on Music: Johannes Brahms

advance them into a Romantic idiom, in the process creating bold new approaches to harmony and melody. While many contemporaries found his music too academic, his contribution and craftsmanship have been admired by subsequent figures as diverse as Arnold Schoenberg and Edward Elgar. The diligent, highly constructed nature of Brahms's works was a starting point and an inspiration for a generation of composers. Contents [hide] 1 Life 1.1 Early years 1.2 Meeting Joachim and Liszt 1.3 Brahms…

Words 6900 - Pages 28

The Epithet in the Novel "Jane Eyre" Essay example

given first of all to a stylistic problematics, to consideration of usage of such stylistic device as an epithet. We will analyse the work “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte and will chose the most interesting types and examples of epithets for the analysis of them. CHAPTER I :THEORETICAL BACKGRAOUND OF THE EPITHET ITS NATURE AND DEFINITION 1.1General Notes on Style and Stylistics. ''The concept of style means unity of the word and image, image and a composition, composition and ideas of poetic…

Words 18865 - Pages 76

ECON 344 Group Marketing Plan kieng e Essay

...........................................................25 1.5 Distribution Channels.............................................................................................................................35 2.0 Threats and Opportunities Analysis.........................................................................................4 2.1 External Threats Description...............................................................................................................45 2.2 External…

Words 9790 - Pages 40