Arnold Friend Characteristics

The survival of a treacherous act Arnold Friend is a strange character who has pale skin, eyes that appear as holes, hair that seems to be a wig, and a walk that suggests his boots are too big or that he is an amputee. He is very peculiar in that he hangs out with a bunch of minors and acts as if he was one himself. Many people in modern society who may have many characteristics such as Arnold, may be rejected in society. Therefore, one must ask how an odd man like Arnold Friend survived civilization or how he survived in accomplishing a treacherous act that is kidnapping a minor. By evaluating Arnold’s actions and behavior, one can see that the way he was capable of completing this act was by taking responsibility, controlling his emotions, having faith, and by taking risk.
According to Laurence Gonzales, “Survival starts before the accident” and that “every survivor must bind to his heart with hoops of steel: Anything is possible” (Laurence 195-198). Arnold’s mind was always occupied with the idea that Connie would go with him regardless of her desire. He would always command her by giving her directions, such as, “you’re going to come out that door” and “you come out and we’ll drive away”, this was him assuring the environment around him that he would get what he desired and made Connie (the source of danger) have no other option but to obey his orders (Oates 462). With this reassurance and confidence, he was eventually capable of taking a risk, the essential survival skill of every living being. As Gonzales states, “No risk, no reward” (Gonzales 197). Without taking the risk of seeing Connie in broad daylight at her house, he would have never been able of successfully taking her