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

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Andrew Fox Richard Hinson ENG 1102 1 July 2013 Word count: 1,525 Arnold Friend How would most people imagine a rapist or a murderer? It would probably be something like unattractive, poor postured, driving a beaten up car, and having hardly any good communication skills with others. Well their view may be changed after reading “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been’ by Joyce Carol Oates, because when it comes to Arnold Friend one would not accuse this man of being any of the sorts. Such a charmer with the ladies, wearing in-style clothing, driving a golden jalopy, with such a sly tongue, and sly sneaky ways, this man could get one to do whatever he wanted however he wanted. Using his slyness, calm attitude, and in- style way to get Connie…show more content…
Tracey Caldwell even writes “When Connie first meets Arnold Friend at a burger joint, even though he “wags a finger at her” and states “Gonna get you, baby Connie registers no threat, and leaves without thinking about the him again until he shows up uninvited at her house” (2) This shows that he said it so chill and unthreatening that he can even make such threats without scaring Connie away. When Arnold shows up to Connie’s house uninvited, living up to his threat, Connie doesn’t even know who Arnold is, telling him to go away on numerous occasions. Even though at this point several guys would have already given up, but Arnold knows how to play Connie and keeps his cool, constantly using his sly tongue to have her remember him without exactly telling her he’s the guy from the other night. Arnold even manages to pull the impossible by having Connie willingly leave the safety of her own house even after blowing his own cover. Joyce Oates writes “”I ain’t made plans for coming in that house where I don’t belong but just for you to come out to me, the way you should”” (334) Joyce even writes that while saying this he sounds like a superhero doing his duty. He also uses threats to lure her out saying he will kill her people if they arrived before they left, and manages to make her put the phone back on the line so it appears she left of her own free will, Arnold manages to do all this without raising his voice…show more content…
The man had so much style, a way with words, but his sly sneaky way should have been the gateway to the reader’s suspicion. This story may say Arnold is a Friend, but as the reader gets more in depth with the story, they will come to realize Arnold is a

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