Where are you going, Where have you been? by Joyce Carol Oates
In Joyce Carol Oates' "Where Are you Going, Where Have You Been", Oates used figurative language to show the evil in Arnold Friend and how he as a Fiend tries to pull Connie into his corrupted world. The harsh reality that Oates includes in her story is that there are fiends that may seem like a friend around us like Arnold. By using figurative language Oates can create a fiend from what
Seem to be a Friend.
There are many hints that Joyce left to show that Arnold Friend is not a friend at all and by using symbolism she was able to portray an image of Arnold as a
fiend. After talking to Connie for a little while Arnold said, "You wanta come for a ride?" The "ride" that Arnold talks of could mean many things, but the one thing that Joyce has painted into my mind is that; the ride could mean a deferent path which would lead to his corrupted world. Oates chooses the words carefully to show that Arnold is a fiend and by using simile she was able to portray and image such as, "He grinned so broadly his eyes became slits and she saw how thick the lashes were, thick and black as if painted with a black tar-like material." Oates uses descriptions such as these to show the unhuman quality in a human form. This images that Oates leaves to the readers mind are formed by her wonderful use of symbolism.
Arnold Friend knows too much about everything and everyone to only be a person especially one who is not from around the same area as Connie. When Arnold claim to know all of Connie's friends and where her family is at Connie was scared and
asked how he knew and Arnold stated , "I know everybody." . The capabilities that Arnold shows are just more proof of him being more than fiend but being the
devil himself. Arnold not only knows what is going on in the world around Connie, but he also know what she is thinking. Arnold knows that Connie is unhappy with her parents but still care about their well being. He felt that the only way to get Connie out of the house without
Seem to be a Friend.
There are many hints that Joyce left to show that Arnold Friend is not a friend at all and by using symbolism she was able to portray an image of Arnold as a
fiend. After talking to Connie for a little while Arnold said, "You wanta come for a ride?" The "ride" that Arnold talks of could mean many things, but the one thing that Joyce has painted into my mind is that; the ride could mean a deferent path which would lead to his corrupted world. Oates chooses the words carefully to show that Arnold is a fiend and by using simile she was able to portray and image such as, "He grinned so broadly his eyes became slits and she saw how thick the lashes were, thick and black as if painted with a black tar-like material." Oates uses descriptions such as these to show the unhuman quality in a human form. This images that Oates leaves to the readers mind are formed by her wonderful use of symbolism.
Arnold Friend knows too much about everything and everyone to only be a person especially one who is not from around the same area as Connie. When Arnold claim to know all of Connie's friends and where her family is at Connie was scared and
asked how he knew and Arnold stated , "I know everybody." . The capabilities that Arnold shows are just more proof of him being more than fiend but being the
devil himself. Arnold not only knows what is going on in the world around Connie, but he also know what she is thinking. Arnold knows that Connie is unhappy with her parents but still care about their well being. He felt that the only way to get Connie out of the house without