What does the devil look like and how does he sound? Is he just a cloven beast with horns and a roaring voice? Or is he a little more inconspicuous? In her short story, “Where are you going, Where have you been?”, Joyce Carol Oates shows readers exactly who the devil is. The story takes place in the sixties, and revolves around two main characters, Connie and Arnold Friend. Connie is the typical teenage party girl, hanging out with new boys every night at the drive-in. One night, Connie has an uncomfortable encounter with Friend, who then suddenly appears at Connie’s home soon after and tries to coax her into coming with him to somewhere unknown. Although he uses unnerving language and threats against her family, Connie struggles against him and herself on whether she should leave with him or not. Friend uses his appearance, thoughts, and actions to create the perfect portrayal of a truly sinister being.
Prior to his verbal seduction, Arnold Friend attracts the reader with his odd appearance and unusual car, which suggests his devilish nature. In artwork and literature, the devil is often depicted with a chariot made of …show more content…
Friend first sees Connie when she is at the drive-in, where she is committing a ‘sin’ by being with several boys. He then decides that she is his; “He wagged a finger and laughed and said, ‘Gonna get you, baby…’” (Oates 416). Then, later in the story, Friend shows up at Connie’s house, trying to coerce her into leaving with him. He tells Connie that he has chosen her. “‘Didn’t you see me put my sign in the air when you walked by?’ … ‘My sign.’ And he drew an X in the air, leaning out toward her” (Oates 420). His sign is an indication that he has seen Connie’s sins and has marked her soul as his. This is evidence that her sins have allowed the devil to take notice and latch onto her, bending her to his
Prior to his verbal seduction, Arnold Friend attracts the reader with his odd appearance and unusual car, which suggests his devilish nature. In artwork and literature, the devil is often depicted with a chariot made of …show more content…
Friend first sees Connie when she is at the drive-in, where she is committing a ‘sin’ by being with several boys. He then decides that she is his; “He wagged a finger and laughed and said, ‘Gonna get you, baby…’” (Oates 416). Then, later in the story, Friend shows up at Connie’s house, trying to coerce her into leaving with him. He tells Connie that he has chosen her. “‘Didn’t you see me put my sign in the air when you walked by?’ … ‘My sign.’ And he drew an X in the air, leaning out toward her” (Oates 420). His sign is an indication that he has seen Connie’s sins and has marked her soul as his. This is evidence that her sins have allowed the devil to take notice and latch onto her, bending her to his