Analysis Of ' Arnold 's Friend '

The biggest cause for Connie’s outgoingness and rebellion is her mother’s attitude towards her. In the movie and short story Connie’s mom was rude to her and constantly comparing her to June. Connie’s mother’s tone was filled with annoyance and aggravation whenever she talked to Connie. There was nothing positive that came out of her mom’s mouth. The first thing the mom said was “Stop gawking at yourself, who are you? You think you’re so pretty?” (Oates 693)

1. Arnold Friend 's name can be interpreted as being "a friend." Also, by removing the r 's, his name becomes "an old fiend," which can be interpreted as a reference to a demon or even Satan. What other clues are there that Arnold is not who he claims to be?

By constantly moving around, Jeanette’s childhood was characterized by its instability and her own dependence on herself in order to survive the negligence of her parents. The glass castle symbolized a place where the Walls’ family would finally settle and become free of governmental intervention, however, it was through Jeanette’s realization that individualism was the underlying issue to her family’s problems, that she became aware of the impracticalness of being self-reliant. While Jeanette did have faith in her parents, her father’s continual inability to support his family and her mother’s own carelessness for her children, eroded all of Jeanette’s confidence. Jeanette’s decision to move to New York was not fueled by a need for individualism, however, it was in fact her desire to return to society and reintegrate into a world where she would be able to interact with other people. Thus, Jeanette's return to society signified her dependence of others and shows how individualism can never solve all of people's

There are many ideas about what or who the Devil is, even among believers. The number of differing sources and translations have led to plenty of inconsistencies, rumors, and assumptions surrounding the Prince of Darkness. Throughout the short story “Where Are You going, Where Have You Been?”, Arnold Friend is seen as a symbolic Satan. Joyce Carol Oates uses dialogue, characterization, and plot to show the readers how Arnold embodies features of a symbolic Satan.

Though the narrator hopes for a life absent of solitude, she seems to acquiesce her position and take her current sentence of servitude as her lot in life. She does, however, wish for a more exciting, appealing life. She questions herself several times within the story almost rhetorically asking, "And what can one do?" ,"What is one to do?", and "But what is one to do?" She knows what she wants to do, but knows that it will never be possible for her to do.

Jeanette Walls, author and protagonist of The Glass Castle, writes about her experiences growing up in a somewhat dysfunctional family. Jeanette’s life story is a rollercoaster of emotions with all of the difficulties that are thrown at her. Her situations in life rooted from the lack of parental attention she was given. Even though her father had great potential due to his intelligence, his biggest desire was to drink away his life. Her mother, on the other hand, did not even want the opportunity to showcase her parenting style because, in her opinion, it was just a distraction from the more important things in her life. I believe that an appropriate quote to summarize the message of the novel is “‘Things usually work out in the end.’‘What if they don’t?’‘That just means you haven't come to the end yet’” (Walls 259). This quote accurately explains Jeanette’s point of view throughout the novel and how she needs the reassurance that life will not only go on but will get better.

It is disappointing that Connie’s behavior could not be controlled. Unfortunately, she did not have a good adult figure in her life that could have helped her to establish better morals and values. Connie’s mother was constantly scolding her and comparing her to her sister June:

“You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.” Sonsyrea Tate. Tate’s quote has distinct meaning depending on the individual who analyzes it. Many believe this quote to mean that a home is not a single place or object, but a concept or state of mind, which you have when you are around your family or loved ones. In the book The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck this idea of “home is where the heart is,” is shown throughout the book. One of the main characters, Ma, shows with great strength the concept of home is not a dwelling or place where you live, but a state of mind.

Oates emphases that Connie is in her adolescence, who is trying to transition into thinking like an adult. Connie, who is obsessed with her appearance, is constantly “craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right”(Oates 1). She is starting to

According to Elizabeth Lowell, “Some of us aren't meant to belong. Some of us have to turn the world upside down and shake the hell out of it until we make our own place in it.” Sometimes what every situation needs is an outsider to flip the script and create a new outlook on everything. In Shirley Jackson’s novel, “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” the speaker, Merricat, is an outsider of society on many levels, such as mental health, gender, and that she is an upper class citizen in a poor area. Although Merricat is mentally unstable, her outsider’s perspective criticizes the social standard for women in the 1960s, indicating that social roles, marriage, and the patriarchy are not necessary aspects in life such as it is not necessary to have the same outlook on life as others.

how Arnold Friend sees her and does not realize that she cannot see him or his motives. Arnold

The author puts Connie out to be a bad kid but is she really? Yeah, Connie is not the most respectful or well-behaved kid but who is at the age of fifteen. The author shares some instances where Connie does not make the best decisions. The author shares, “She spent three hours with him, at the restaurant where they ate hamburgers and drank cokes…and then down an alley a mile or so away” (Oate’s. 109). The quote shows how Connie put herself in situations that a girl her age should have never been in. The author gives Connie the identity of not being confident in herself when she says, “Connie would raise her eyebrows at these familiar complaints and look right through her mother, into a shadowy vision of herself as she was right at that moment: she knew she was pretty and that was everything.”

In the course of life, most people experiences the same things, but in different ways and at different times. For Minnie Foster of Susan Glaspell’s, Trifles, and Hester of Gwen Pharis Ringwood’s play, Still Stands the House, they both experience extreme isolation, depression, and insanity.

“Well if you let me finish!”yelled Arnold,I was going to ask if you knew anyone or if you wanted to help me... save up for one.” fibbed Arnold.Arnold was very talkative and rambled on and on in his sentences. Sammy thought about how he could become so talkative when he is all alone most of the time,Maybe he doesn't have too many chances to talk so he talks as much…”so i guess i’ll take that as a yes meet me tomorrow at 2;At the Henderson's and Do not forget.”Said Arnold ,interrupting Sammy’s thoughts. Sammy had to meet Arnold at the Henderson’s Shop the next day and put up with Arnold's mischief. He couldn't stand him up so the next day he arrived.

This quote continues to reinforce the characterization of Miss Brill as a lonely person because she does not seem to enjoy conversing with others. Instead, she would rather observe and eavesdrop on other conversations and take joy as if it was her own. This continues to contribute to the meaning by augmenting Miss Brill’s loneliness and implication that the old couple may not like her that much because of her tendency to eavesdrop.