Joyce Carol Oates Smooth Talk
In the story, Joyce Carol Oates introduces the main character, Connie, by giving the reader contextual information on her life. Connie was the typical rebel teenager. She lied to her parents, snuck off with the boys, went out late at night, was mischievous, and had a dysfunctional relationship with her family. The story motivated the production of the film, “Smooth Talk”. Both of these pieces had the same crucial ideas, varied in the family relations, information concerning Arnold Friend and his obsession of Connie, and resolutions to the ambiguous ending.
A major difference between the two versions of this plot rested on Connie’s bond with her family. In the short story, Oates briefly discussed Connie’s manners and connection with her family.
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The movie emphases the greater part of its time on Connie, her friends, her passionate experiences, and her family. Despite the quite different emphases in the movie and short story, the characters of Connie and Arnold Friend remained the same. The story pondered Connie’s classic juvenile troubles, which was an attitude that continued on to the film. However, the film used scenes (as with Connie and friends at the mall) and developed them in order to enhance the characters. This made particular parts more vital to the plot advancement. Arnold Friend’s personality stayed unaffected during the course of the film. He is revealed as a frightening, unnerving character that lies about his age in order to charm younger girls. Oates does not express how Arnold learns so much about Connie, her family, and her daily routines; forming an ominous atmosphere in the text because the reader is left envisioning whether Arnold Friend is a physical character or if he is a paranormal entity (conceivably Satan). In the movie, the onlookers learn that Arnold Friend lingers nearby Connie’s community and contacts Connie’s friends to manipulate information out of them. Naïvely, her friends share private information with Arnold aiding him on a trajectory to his next adolescent prey. In both the motion picture and short story, Arnold Friend’s stipulation
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Psychological Manipulation Essay
909 Words | 4 PagesYou don’t know what that is but you will” (Oates 6). Friend saw Connie as his sexual object. Connie in her adult persona enjoyed that feeling of being stared at and wanted by a man. On the other hand, teenage Connie still trapped in her body somewhere speculated that Arnold Friend was no teenage boy and he was dangerous with no good
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Arnold Friend Character
890 Words | 4 PagesArnold Friend was there to take Connie away; away from her childhood and home, which never quite felt like home until her fantasy world deteriorated and reality set it. The next moment is pivotal, this is when Connie forgets her hedonism and becomes something of much more substance. Before Connie studies Arnold Friend’s abnormal personality and erratic behavior she is fascinated by him and even worries that she is ill prepared for this
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1137 Words | 5 PagesHowever, this is countered when Connie notes that “he was much older—thirty, maybe more” (315), a fact that frightens her. What Arnold is to Connie is a challenge of her want to be an adult, and a trail of her ability to deal with adult issue. Such as a man who singles her out sexual reason. Her wish to be an adult is something she seeks while passively avoiding it. Her avoidance is marked by day dreams of puppy love romance, like a typical teenager; yet, her attractive flaunt to be mature is presented as if she seeks to be an
Similarities Between A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
1074 Words | 5 PagesThe characters draw readers into the book through their unique characteristics and their relatability towards modern society. Nittis elaborates on Arnold Friend “[which revealed] his true intentions toward Connie [that] are grotesque exaggerations of the male-female dating ritual, because Connie is not to be merely flattered and seduced, but kidnapped and murdered.” When Connie was introduced in the story, she was portrayed as a young teenage girl who lives in a world of fantasy with the strong desire to reach adulthood. She dreamed of becoming one [an adult] and to be able to experience what relationships are. When Arnold Friend comes into the picture, it was as if he was the one is she has been looking for.
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Examples Of Allusions In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
854 Words | 4 PagesHe tries to seduce and persuade her to go with him for a ride similar to how the Devil lured Eve with a shiny and mysterious apple. Oates displays evidence of biblical allusions regarding Arnold Friend’s appearance and persona in the story by depicting his physical characteristics, his supernatural knowledge, and his demeanor as an image of evil. Connie wants to be desired for her sexuality and Arnold possesses this by his tone throughout the story. His appearance comes
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Arnold Friend Comparison
1190 Words | 5 PagesIn the story, Connie looked at the phrase “man the flying saucers and she felt like “words meant something to her that she did not yet know” (p.) which if she was on drugs she might not be aware of the fact that what she is seeing is not real, but eventually when she is sober she will understand. The ambiguity of Arnold Friend leaves many unanswered questions for readers. Unless Joyce Carol Oates decides to reveal the real Arnold Friend, readers may never know if he was in fact the devil or just a figment of Connie’s
Literary Devices In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
804 Words | 4 PagesIn her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Joyce Carol Oates utilizes a variety of literary devices to strengthen the story in its entirety. This short story is essentially about a 16-year-old girl named Connie and the conflict between her desire to be mature and her desire to remain an adolescent. Throughout the story, the audience sees this conflict through her words in addition to through her behavior. The audience is also introduced to Arnold Friend, a rather peculiar man, who essentially kidnaps her. This short story by Joyce Carol Oates functions and is additionally meaningful because of her usage of literary devices.
Analysis Of Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
1203 Words | 5 PagesThroughout the story, there are many instances: the illogical time and settings, the similarity between Arnold and Connie and the unrealistic events show that the meeting between Connie and Arnold Friend is a dream. The dream is also a preparation for Connie before she steps onto the stage of being an adult. Connie’s dream begins when she refuses to go to her aunt’s house for barbecue party. She stays home, and under the warmness of the sun, she begins her day dreaming about love and the boy she has met the night before. In the beginning, the author writes “Connie sat with her eyes closed in the sun…”
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Arnold Friend Analysis
817 Words | 4 PagesReluctantly, her parents allow her to stay home alone. A few hours later, a familiar gold jalopy pulls up to her house. The driver announces to Connie that his name is Arnold Friend. His unusual physical appearance, his tone of voice, and what he may symbolize frighten the Connie.
Compare And Contrast Charlottes Web And Charlotte's Web
803 Words | 4 PagesIn 1973, the beloved children’s classic, Charlotte’s Web, made its first appearance onto the screen. Over 30 years later, a newer version of the classic hit the big screen. Since both were closely based on the original book written by E. B. White, the movies still hold true to the core values and overall plot. Between the two films, there arose many similarities, but there were still a few variations in the two films. This essay will compare and contrast the ways in which the original animated version of Charlotte’s Web in 1973 and the live-action version of Charlotte’s Web in 2006 on terms of character’s setting, personalities, and plot.
Character Analysis Of Connie In 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been'
984 Words | 4 Pages“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” is about a teenager named Connie who is trying to come to terms with her transformation from childhood to adulthood. Through this process, Connie attempts to act older than she is an tries to gain the attention of boys. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” Joyce Oates portrays Connie as obsessed with men to symbolize how one’s obsession and narcissistic attitude can cause danger to seem surreal. In the short story, Carol Oates describes Connie as having two different personalities, one being a narcissistic attitude.
They All Just Went Away Summary
1368 Words | 6 PagesThey all Just Went Away PAST Purpose: Joyce Carol Oates purpose for writing this personal narrative was share an experience from her youth that has affected her to this day. She recalls back to her younger years where one family was subjected to seemingly endless criticism and judgement solely based on rumors then transitions to her interactions with a member of that family many years later. She discusses how she believed the rumors to be true at one point even though there was no evidence to support them. Oates sought to illustrate the effect of rumors and the validity of that information on the subject at hand.
Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Literary Analysis
694 Words | 3 PagesOates’s biography explained her fiction writing as a mixture violence and sexual obsession. The writing style definitely fits the plot point of this story with both of her literary ingredients being present in not only Arnold Friend but in Connie as well. The Protagonist Connie is presented in a very self-centered way. She is obsessed with her looks and often fantasizes about all the boys she meets.
An Analysis Of Joyce Carol Oates 'Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?'
596 Words | 3 PagesConnie was unable to see the men's true personality until they removed their glasses, which like Connie, a person who has multiple sides. They use similar expressions throughout the story, for example, “Christ” and the use of the word “dope” this further links the two characters personalities. At the end of the story, after Arthur stops Connie from calling the police, she willingly joins the two men. This shows Connie ignoring her superego- calling the police- to succumb to her id (8, 9). Connie once asks, “how come we never saw you before?” to which Arthur replies, “Sure you saw me before… You just don’t remember” these lines also illustrate the tendency for a person to repress their ultimate desires (5).
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