Devil In Joyce Carol Oates Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Hunter Vernon
English 1100
Charles Radcliffe
Essay 2, draft 1

Devil in Disguise
In Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where are you going, where have you been?”, Oates tells the story of a young girl named Connie, who is vain, self-centered, rude to her parents, and in an incredible hurry to grow up. She has two different personalities, “one for home, and one for anywhere that was not home.” Everything about her including her smile, her laugh, and her walk transforms as soon as she steps out her front door. Connie, the protagonist of the story, wants to be a part of the world of “big kids” until a shiny golden convertible pulls up one day in her driveway and the mysterious Arnold Friend emerges. Oates uses in-depth characterization and symbolism
to relate Arnold Friend to the Devil.
The most obvious aspects of Arnold Friend that suggest that he is the Devil in disguise are his physical features. Oates highlights the aura of evil around Arnold Friend’s appearance by stressing how deathly pale his skin is and how his eyes look like “holes that are not in shadow but instead in light.” Also, Arnold is wearing sunglasses that conceal his eyes and it drives Connie to a degree of queasiness and all she can see is her own reflection. Arnold could be looking at anything, perhaps into her own soul.
The devices that Arnold Friend uses to tempt Connie also suggest that he is the Devil. As the Devil tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden with a shiny mysterious apple, Albert tempts Connie with his shiny-painted convertible. Albert has added several decorations to his car, including Arnold’s secret code, “33-19-17”, which is apparently an advertisement for sex. Oates stresses Connie’s attraction to every aspect of the car: its beauty, delight, and mystery. Though Connie continues to reject his offer to get in the car, her interest is growing and her resistance to give in is faltering.
Albert also attempts to seduce Connie through a language that Connie knows and loves well, radio talk.
Connie notes that the more Arnold Friend talks to her, the more he sounds like he is either reciting lyrics from pop hits or imitating a radio personality. This is definitely apparent when he is addressing Ellie, the boy who stands by Arnold as Beelzebub stood by Satan. When Ellie offers to jerk Connie’s phone out of the wall, Arnold first flatly orders him to shut up, and then continues with “Don’t hem in on me. Don’t hog. Don’t crush. Don’t bird dog. Don’t trail me.” If the Devil is to succeed in seducing his victim, he must first find a way to communicate them in a pleasing and familiar language. In Albert Friend’s case, it is with radio talk.
Arnold Friend’s wardrobe and overall appearance further contribute to the appeal of his evil. He is wearing “tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots” and a white pullover shirt that emphasizes his muscle tone. Oates suggests that Arnold Friend was molded from his image, and was intended to have the “aura of a rock star.” Furthermore, Oates stresses that the more Arnold Friend speaks, the louder and more conspicuous the music from Ellie’s radio becomes. The volume of the music seems to correspond to Arnold’s power over Connie, and her resistance level weakens as the music grows in
intensity.
Arnold Friend is comparable to the Devil in the respect that he is like a big game hunter looking for the biggest trophies that would most glamorize his collection. In his temptation of Connie, he eventually mentions that he knows her sister, and that he wants nothing to do with her. He says, “There’s your sister in a blue dress, huh? And high heels, the poor sad bitch—nothing like you, sweetheart!” With this statement Arnold is saying the Connie is his ultimate prize and he would not trifle long with someone who doesn’t hold his attention. This is also obvious with what Arnold says about Mrs. Hornsby, “She’s too fat. I don’t like them fat. I like them the way you are, honey.”
Arnold Friend’s similarity of the Devil is the most apparent at the climax of the story.
His intimidating speech shatters all bravery and courage that Connie had left and she “frantically runs in her house, fumbles to lock the screen door, and curls up in an obscure corner of the house, cradling the phone.”Not worried at all, Arnold does says he will not go into the house unless she tries to phone for help. As the Devil cannot tread on hallowed ground, Arnold Friend apparently cannot tread in Connie’s home, so the house acts somewhat like a sanctuary for Connie. Arnold seems to realize that he must make her submit by her own free will. He knows, as the Devil knows, that a victim cannot be taken by simple brute force. As long as Connie has one ounce of resistance left in her, Arnold cannot be victorious. However, in the end Arnold’s power is too strong and he finally makes Connie
surrender.
Oates’ images of Arnold Friend undeniably suggest that he is the Devil in Disguise. Oates uses this strong characterization of Arnold to bring about the main theme of the story, things are not always as they seem. Connie’s fright at the discovery of Arnold’s true nature is comparable to Eve’s fright at the awareness of good and evil. Connie gave into the temptation of Albert Friend, as Eve gave in to the serpent’s shiny red apple, only to discover that everything beyond the delightful exterior was nothing but deadly poison.