The Devil in Disguise

A detailed Summary of The Devil in Disguise


Is Arnold Friend the Devil in disguise in Joyce Carol Oates' short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" If one were to look at the facts surrounding the actual event this story was based on, any assumption that "Friend" was anything but a man would be thrown out due to logic. However, if one were to look at the story alone, he could concede that Friend is indeed the Devil or at least the Devil's angel.

First, there is the physical description of Arnold Friend. His "shaggy, shabby black hair that looked crazy as a wig," (591) his nose, "long and hawk-like," (592) and his eyes that "were like chips of broken glass" (592) all suggest that he is evil in some way. "His whole face was a mask, [Connie] thought wildly, tanned down onto his throat but then running out as if he had plastered make-up on his face but had forgotten about his throat" (596). This indicates that Friend is not of human race, and he is using the mask to cover


his face and shield his true identity from Connie. Also, Arnold's boots "must have been stuffed with something so that he would seem taller" (596-7). The fact that Friend is short could mean he is an elf or dwarf-like creature, or it could merely mean that he is trying to be something he definitely is not.

Lastly, Oates uses irony and symbolism to convey the possibility that Arnold Friend is the Devil. The main section of the story ironically takes place on Sunday. Sunday is the Holy day and Friend, in all probability, feels that by degrading God, he is proving himself more powerful. Oates uses his name, Friend, as symbolic irony. Arnold is inevitably evil, and Oates uses his name to represent him as a Devil's Advocate playing both sides. "After his hand fell back to his side the X was still in the air, almost visible" (593). The X is a sign of evil, and Friend tells Connie that it is his sign. This could also imply that Friend was putting a "spell" on Connie

Some common words found in the essay are:
Connie Arnold's, Arnold Friend, Devil's Advocate, Friend Devil, Sunday Holy, Carol Oates', Lastly Oates, Devil Devil's, Dana Gioia, friend devil, arnold friend, York Longman, arnold friend devil, story based, event story, devil's advocate, event story based, oates name, joyce carol,

Approximate Word count = 661
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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