Arnold Friend Character Analysis - 853 Words

English 21011 James Friend Spells ‘Sociopath’ The persona of a sociopath appears to be much like any human. In many cases, one would not be able to pick him out of a crowd. Their minds, however, differ greatly from the average mind. A sociopath is extremely smart and methodical and most often is very meticulous in the way in which he acts. While many people are not thinking beyond the norm, a psychopath thinks about his every breath, step, and word. In the short story Where are you going, Where have you been? by Joyce Carol Oates, the depiction of a sociopath is apparent. Arnold’s mannerism, thoughts and tactics create the perfect portrayal of a truly sociopathic character. Arnold Friend follows Connie from the†¦show more content†¦Also, they have the power of blending in the crowd, and concealing themselves from others due to lack of transparency and inability for society to distinguish those sociopathic traits. Arnold Friend may seem ordinary, but his mind works di fferently from others. He is likely to thinkShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis of Arnold Friend in Oates ´ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been605 Words   |  2 PagesHave You been’, featuring the infamous Arnold Friend and plenty of adult themes. So many possible theories stem from just one character from a short story whether he could perhaps be death, or the devil in disguise coming to take Connie away; or perhaps just a mental creepy man coming to kidnap and rape Connie. So many things that Arnold Friend tells little vain Connie can be interpreted in either direction, it is all in how you look at it. To compare Arnold to the devil is like comparing two kindsRead MoreWhere Are You Going, Where Have You Been?723 Words   |  3 PagesPsycho, Demon, Dreams, Oh My! â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?† by Joyce Carol Oates is a short story about a 15-year old girl named Connie that falls in the trap of Arnold Friend. There are many interpretations to this short story, and many arguments have fought back and forth to find out the true inside meaning to find out what the reason was for Joyce Carol Oates to write this story. There are hundreds of analyses for this story out there, but I am going to just be talking about three;Read More ‘’Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?’’ Essay examples1232 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Connie’s Character and Her Demise There are some stories that capture the reader’s attention and which keep us riveted from the beginning to the ultimate line of the tale. ‘’Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?’’, a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates in 1966, is one of those. Inspired by the mythic song of the phenomenal singer Bob Dylan entitled ‘’It’s all over Now, Baby Blue,’’ the author describes the main character as a 15-year-old girl named ‘’ Connie’’, who is obsessedRead More Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Oates1222 Words   |  5 Pagesof teenagers newly formed adolescent minds that any effective argument for responsible attitudes or analysis of sexual behavior in teens should be expressed with a certain minimal degree of clarity. Unfortunately, this essential lucidity of advice is missing in the short story â€Å"Where are You Going, Where Have You Been,† in which the misguided Joyc e Carol Oates creates the character of Arthur Friend as a clichà © personification of the inner demon of uncontrollably budding sexuality. Instead, the murkyRead MoreSummary Of Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?854 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: According to Barstow, Connie represents American innocence and powerlessness. Connie has a hard time defending herself against Arnold Friend because of her lack of knowledge and the impact of American culture. The mother-daughter relationship plays a significant role in the story because had Connie and her mother communicated better, Connie, who is still a child, would have be protected from the evil of the world. Barstow also points out that the modern American is unable to distinguishRead MoreComing Of Age : A Comparative Analysis Of `` Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?870 Words   |  4 PagesComing of Age in Fiction: A comparative Analysis of â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You been?† and â€Å"An Ounce of Cure†. â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You been?† by Joyce Carol Oates and â€Å"An Ounce of Cure† by Alice Munro share the common theme of â€Å"Coming of Age†, which depicts a maturation of the character/s going from a child to an adult. 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This character, Connie was caught in the difficult transition from her youth and innocence to a doubtful future. Throughout the story Connie alternates between two very different sides of her personality, one side where she is innocent and young, and the other where she is mature. Understanding the magnitude of Connies character and her interaction with others is key to comprehending exactly ho w she came upon her finalRead MoreThe Light On Daisys Dock1263 Words   |  6 PagesYou Going, Where Have You Been† and â€Å"Sonny’s Blues.† In The Light on Daisy’s Dock, Foster elucidate his concept of character’s desires and symbols by explaining the story of The Great Gatsby. Foster describes about the character Gatsby, who befriends with the main character Nick Carraway, and Gatsby’s obsession. â€Å"Jay Gatsby’s rapt attention† towards Daisy Buchanan’s dock (Foster, 173). Gatsby’s attention to the dock is driven by Gatsby’s desire of having an affair with Daisy Buchanan; howeverRead MoreDover Beach and Farenheit 4511461 Words   |  6 Pages English 2342 20 April 2011 Dover Beach and Fahrenheit 451 The classic poem, Dover Beach, written by Matthew Arnold, is a statement about losing faith as a result of enlightenment. In an emotionally charged scene in Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, fireman Guy Montag reads the poem aloud to his wife and her friends. Bradbury could have chosen any piece of literature for Montag to read as a means of unveiling his collection of hoarded books and his newfound interest in reading them. Bradbury