What figure do most people see as an idol? Is there someone or something that you desire or lust for? “In the mid-sixties, Bob Dylan’s followers perceived him to be a messiah” according to Anthony Sacduto (qtd. In Tierce and Crafton 207). Joyce M. Wegs, Mike Tierce, and John Michael Crafton have different critical interpretations about Arnold Friend but with the same viewpoint. Both sides make the excellent argument that Arnold is a substandard individual.
Joyce M. Wegs views Arnold Friend as Satan. Arnold friend is like Satan in how he pretends to know what Connie wants and takes advantage of how naive she is. Satan is in disguise; trying to trick Connie into thinking she is ready for adulthood. Also, Mike Tierce and John Michael Crafton’s …show more content…
Satan can be known as a superior to some and as inferior others. In fact, Joyce M, Wegs views Satan as an inferior person and compares him to Arnold Friend. “Especially supernatural is mysterious knowledge about her, her family, and her friends. At one point, he even seems to be able to see all the way to the barbecue.”(Wegs 207) Based on my findings, Arnold Friend is Satan, and is disguise trying to trick Connie into believing that he is a great person. I addition to Wegs seeing Friend as some type of idol, Mike Tierce, and John Michael Crafton see Friend as one too. “Arnold is the Personification of popular music, particularly Bob Dylan’s music; and as such, Connie’s interaction with him is a musically induced fantasy, a kind of magic carpet ride in a convertible jalopy painted gold.” If you notice this quote that Friend is a superior figure that some people see as superior. Friend is like Bob Dylan because they both are getting people to believe in them and to make them see what they want to see. They both get into people’s minds with words that mean more to them than it does for people like Connie.
In Conclusion, both Critical writers are correct in my opinion. Connie is just a young girl that is being swept up by an older man named Arnold Friend. Friend’s magical word tricks her into doing what he wants her to do. Friend is just an Arch Fiend in disguise or also known as Satan that takes over Connie’s mind
Joyce M. Wegs views Arnold Friend as Satan. Arnold friend is like Satan in how he pretends to know what Connie wants and takes advantage of how naive she is. Satan is in disguise; trying to trick Connie into thinking she is ready for adulthood. Also, Mike Tierce and John Michael Crafton’s …show more content…
Satan can be known as a superior to some and as inferior others. In fact, Joyce M, Wegs views Satan as an inferior person and compares him to Arnold Friend. “Especially supernatural is mysterious knowledge about her, her family, and her friends. At one point, he even seems to be able to see all the way to the barbecue.”(Wegs 207) Based on my findings, Arnold Friend is Satan, and is disguise trying to trick Connie into believing that he is a great person. I addition to Wegs seeing Friend as some type of idol, Mike Tierce, and John Michael Crafton see Friend as one too. “Arnold is the Personification of popular music, particularly Bob Dylan’s music; and as such, Connie’s interaction with him is a musically induced fantasy, a kind of magic carpet ride in a convertible jalopy painted gold.” If you notice this quote that Friend is a superior figure that some people see as superior. Friend is like Bob Dylan because they both are getting people to believe in them and to make them see what they want to see. They both get into people’s minds with words that mean more to them than it does for people like Connie.
In Conclusion, both Critical writers are correct in my opinion. Connie is just a young girl that is being swept up by an older man named Arnold Friend. Friend’s magical word tricks her into doing what he wants her to do. Friend is just an Arch Fiend in disguise or also known as Satan that takes over Connie’s mind