Arnold Friend Analysis

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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 intensity, suspense and climax through the syntax and style employed by Oates.
In the story, Connie is a rebellious teenager who is captivated by music and boys, focusing on how she looks and disregards her family. She spends her time at a local …show more content…

Arnold Friend is a demonic antagonist whose name is symbolic of the devil, having an allegorical meaning, when you drop the r’s you get “An old fiend” giving it affiliation with one of the devils many names, who met in the beginning of the story with Connie at a local teenager hangout spot. He creates tension and makes an X sign with his hand in the air marking Connie as his victim, while she is on a date with another teenager. Arnold Friend shows up to Connie’s house and tries to entice her outside of her house so he can take her innocence away and make her an adult. “Yes, I’m your lover. You don't know what that is but you will.” Arnold Friend comes to take Connies innocence and life into adulthood as Arnold Friend but, there are plot elements throughout the story pointing towards Arnold Friend being a demonic adversary of Connie. Arnold Friend has a dark complexion but not from being tan, his boots do not fit correctly pointing at the fact that he doesn't have real feet, and he could not come into the house to get connie without being invited in like the devil. The short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is told through the protagonist Connie around the events of her loss of innocence through the demonic figure, Arnold Friend. The story is created surrounding true events of a murder of a young girl through the creative style and syntax of Joyce Carol Oates. Connie is caught in the sights of Arnold Friend and withstands mental and physical obstacles until her innocence is

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