arnold fiend simply no friend dissertation

A protagonist named Connie in the story brief story entitled “Where are you going, Where have you been” by Joyce Carol Oates, soon learns that her trashy daydreams and self-absorbed behavior only leads to catastrophe by way of a man named Arnold Friend. Arnold Friend persona in this story represents the devil. Connie, a horny high school freshman reveals a strong disdain for family beliefs but more concern with interpersonal reputation and slutty performances. As the summer approaches the lady and her high school girlfriends obnoxiously march the town in search of amusement from boys.

Sneaky and scantily dressed, Connie deceives her parents on a regular basis. When around her parents Connie dresses conservative and behaves graciously, reversely, in firm of her friends she goes for the hooker appearance and holds herself as if she were a mindless teenage squander. Soon problems finds it way in this edgy teen’s your life as the lady become more curious about her expanding sexuality. With this exciting brief story, Joyce Oates thrilled the reader with an intense accumulated suspense followed by a promising and thought provoking climax that not even the primary character/ Connie could discover coming.

The storyplot of a youthful naive and considerably dense girl takes place in a region suburb in a small and sluggish paced city. The story is usually told throughout the eyes of the mature, peaceful elder. The reader recognizes the usage of music, as it holds a hypnotizing result upon the young socialite as the girl endeavors a journey that leads to catastrophe. Vain and socially imprecise, Connie seems confronted with the constant comparison of her older and more mature sis named 06. More acknowledged and appreciated by her parents, June assisted in household tasks and earnestly saved money. By ontrast, Connie’s good friends did not accept June; the girl was preferred more simply by her father and mother. “She sat on the bed, barefoot and listened to get an hour . 5 to a plan called XYZ Sunday Jamboree, record after record of hard fast shrieking tunes, she did along with” (Giota/Oates) Pursuing the need to engage in rebellious and worldly actions, Connie placed immature dreams of in search of thrills, the primary character foolishly wastes her time considering nothing and listening to music all day, the lady shows work or actions of obtaining more compound in her character. Connie’s worldly and promiscuous behavior soon draws in the devil him self.

Honestly speaking, with the time Connie put in daydreaming about trash, she could have desired to become educated and about nearly anything, be it family members or community issues, although instead your woman chose to become a lofty frequent at a nearby burger joint. Jane Barstow from the Salem press analyzes Connie’s activities: “For Connie, “the bright-lit, fly-infested restaurant” is a “sacred building” plus the omnipresent music is like a “church service” always in the setting, something on what she depends. As if to parody Christian symbolism, Oates describes the “grinning youngster, ” possessing a burger aloft, which caps the bottle-shaped cafe.

It is in this article that Connie finds the “haven and blessing” otherwise missing in her life. Barstow, (Jane) M. “Where Are You Heading, Where Are you?. ” Masterplots II: Brief Story Series, Revised Model (2004): 1-3. MagillOnLiterature Additionally. Web. six June 2012. Sadly, it absolutely was Connie’s nonproductive mind fascinated the devilish and scheming Arnold Good friend. Connie refused to go to a Sunday BBQ GRILL with her family and decided to go with instead to idle at home alone. Arnold Friend, a deceitful thirty- something shows himself like a innocent eighteen year old he approaches Connie and in the end rapes her.

Through his convincing develop and devilish persistence, Arnold friend is usually viewed simply by most literary critics while Satan him self, The story continues to be subject to varying interpretations simply by various experts. It has been seen as an upside down fairy tale through which Connie is joined not with Prince Wonderful but with the Prince of Darkness. These kinds of readers have got pointed out commonalities between Arnold Friend and the devil: his disguise, his supernatural understanding of the location of Connie’s family, his ability to lure Connie to him against her will certainly, even his very term, which is simply by no coincidence close to “Arch Fiend. (Korb) When we check out the threatening character of “Friend” it easy to understand him because the devil. Sign up for the “r” in Arnold Friend’s brand and you clearly discern what Arnold represents; an old Revolutionary. Connie was attracted to Good friend’s gold car, a color that is keen and often labeled as the colour of the gods. Before raping Connie, the satanic Friend inserts a boot among Connie’s doorway, “One of his shoes was odd at an angle, like his ft . wasn’t in it” (592).

The ways the reader of this short story can distinguish Pal’s character as the devil is by noticing through the story Friend has problems standing in his boots. Absolutely, Friend, just like Satan features Goat calf, Clearly this is why he are unable to stand in his boots. Discovering this further, The text scribed upon Friends car”MAN THE TRAVELING SAUCER” certainly has the same letters that spells away “HESATANLUCIFER”. ” Through everything, however , she privately provides hiding for innocent dreams of ideal appreciate. One day, when home alone, she is acknowledged by a peculiar man ominously named Arnold Friend, who may be determined to seduce her and have her away.

Rather than use force, Good friend insinuates his way in to Connie’s mind and subdues her weak and emerging sexuality” Mann, Barry, and Alvin E. Benson. “Joyce Carol Oates. ” Important Survey Of Short Hype, Second Modified Edition (2001): 1-7. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 6 June 2012 Ultimately, “Where will you be going, where have you been, expresses the need for teens to be conscious and active in positive thoughts and aspirations. The primary character had a host of troublesome thoughts and instinctively acted upon all of them. When people are generally not present oriented they become inhibit dangerous and undesirable way of life.

The need to be there minded as being a young person is fantastic for such as reason as this kind of. Rape and violence not only occurs as you don’t expect it, it also occurs when are vacant minded but not aware. In the perspective of a young person, Autos can stand for freedom, reputation and freedom, but In the storyline, Connie was attracted to Satan through his car and the persuasion. Considering a conscience and lively Connie, this rape will not have existed. In closing, Arnold and his magic formula code that is was scribed on his car 33, 19, 17 is additionally a bible verse that also questions the a character of exactly where are you heading, where are you currently.

It is obvious that the publisher, Joyce Jean oats his finessed the concept of an everlasting presence through this book. Applying this story as a warning and as an example of what an nonproductive mind provides can not just spare your life but also your purity. Citations and sources: * Where will you be going, exactly where have you been/Intro to fiction/XJ Kennedy Blanco Giota 11th ED. Wherever are you heading, where were you?, Joyce Carol Oates, Copyright 1970 Ontario review *A summary and analysis of Where Are You Going, Where Are you currently?. Barstow, Her M. Wherever Are You Going, Where Have You Been?. ” Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition (2004): 1-3. MagillOnLiterature Additionally. Web. 6 June 2012. * Korb, Rena. “An overview of “Where Are You Heading, Where Are you currently? “. ” Short Tales for Students. Of detroit: Gale, 2002. Literature Source Center. Web. 13 June 2012. ** Where are you going, wherever have you been/Intro to fiction/XJ Kennedy Centro Giota eleventh ED. In which are you heading, where are you?, Joyce Carol Oates, Copyright laws 1970 Ontario review(592)

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