Joyce Carol Oates is a born writer, she had a passion for writing even before she could read. She attended Syracuse University on a scholarship, and as her success grew, so did her popularity. Oates's clever short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" ” contains two very different characters who help depict the harsh realities of growing up as a young woman. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Arnold Friends seems to be an insignificant character at the beginning of the story, but he eventually reveals himself at the end, portraying an inhuman character. This is revealed through the details and clues contained in Oates' work. Arnold's strange name bears a slight resemblance to two phases that are too coincidental to not match his characteristics. “An old demon” and “archdemon” can mean the devil. Arnold also knows far too much information about Connie and her family that only a higher power could know: "I know your name and everything about you, a lot of things" (Oates 511). He also stood in a rather strange manner, which could imply that he had hooves for feet: "One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot were not there" (Oates 514 ). Arnold said the numbers 33, 19, and 17 to Connie as he tried to persuade her to leave her house: "Now these numbers are a secret code, honey" (Oates 510). These numbers could mean the thirty-third book of the Bible, chapter nineteen, verse seventeen which reveals the title of the story "Where are you going, where have you been?" ". Or if you add up all the numbers it equals sixty-nine and that could be Arnold's true intentions with Connie. Arnold is a static character that he doesn't change and he resembles the villain of this story. Connie is an innocent teenager trying to live her best life. She knows that she is beautiful and that she is nothing like her mother and sister. She just wants to have fun with her friends and with the boys. She's a little rude to her mother, but what can you expect from a teenager? You could say she lives two different lives, she acts one way when she is with her family and another when she goes out with her friends. “She wore a jersey blouse that looked like one side when she was at home and another when she was away from home. Everything about her had two sides, one of home and the other of everything that wasn't home. » (Oates 507). Connie thought she was better than her mother and sister because she was pretty, “she knew she was pretty and that was that” (Oates 506). Connie is a dynamic character and the hero of this story as she grows from an uptight fifteen year old to a better version of herself. She sacrificed herself for the sake of her family's safety, even if it meant she wouldn't return home when she left with Arnold. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Additionally, The devil eventually robs women of their innocence as they enter adulthood, in many ways showing them the bitter truth that comes with growing up, making them cautious about it they carry and the attention they attract. As many of us know, the devil's intentions are never good, which is why he tries to take Connie and her innocence. This will cause it to grow and mature quickly and not entirely in a good way. Works Cited: Gibbons, B. (2002). Romeo and Juliet:..