-Who is the story's main character, Connie or Arnold Friend?
I believe Connie is the main character, but at the same time Arnold friend is too. My reasoning for this is because Arnold Friend is not a real person but a metaphor created by Connie’s subconscious mind. Arnold is somebody Connie created to represent her maturing sexually, and his advances couldn’t be stopped because hormones are natural and can’t be stopped, and although she wants to be a child she is more or less being forced to become a woman.
-Discuss the theme of the house as a metaphor of Connie's identity.
The house is also a metaphor for Connie’s change from a girl to woman. The house represents her body and its changes. Her being so scared and hiding in the house is her really being scared by changes happening around her and being confused on the inside. The fact that her family is not inside and she isn’t allowed to touch the phone represents that she is on her own with no help because she is so distant from her family.
-Do a little research about the significance of the numbers 33 19 17. What are some of the ideas that have been suggested about their meaning? What do you think they mean?
Ok so the significance of 33, 17, and 19 in the story varies depending on who you ask. There is one woman who claims to have interviewed Oates and she said Oates says they are random, while other sources say she declines to comment on their meaning. Other claims say they are a bible reference to a passage that basically means the title of the story but while using a different phrase, a less mature, and probably more of a coincidence is that when you add up the numbers they become the sexually oriented number of 69 and the story is sexual in nature. My favorite and one I believe to be more accurate is the lack of the number 18 in the 19, 17 sequence. R is the 18th letter in the alphabet, then you take out the R in Arnold Friend you get An Old Fiend, or as some have it An Old Friend. The bible consistently refers to the devil as an old friend, and well an old fiend works just as well for Satan. As for the 33, it is commonly accepted that jesus died at the age of 33 so basically it refers to the age old fight of good vs. evil. That struggle is obvious in this story based on Connie’s wanting to be good but enjoying being bad. This is also supported by Arnold not coming in the house unless invited which as myth has it the devil cannot do.
-How does the setting function in the story? Could this be anywhere? Why did Oates choose the setting(s) that she did?
The setting for this story is interesting. I do not think it would have worked in another setting, at least not as effectively. The outskirts of a small town are an obvious metaphor for innocence, while the teenage scene in town is more dangerous and rebellious. This shows the change from Connie being an innocent child to developing into a woman and wanting to do things many consider inappropriate, or at least they were inappropriate at the time the story was written. In the end I think Connie chooses to fall victim to her hormones and that’s why the story ends with Arnold being in the house and eventually going with Arnold, the part about him forcing her is still confusing, but i think that is just a metaphor for being a slave to ones hormones instead of using good judgment. I think Oates chose a small town because it is the most efficient way of showing simply the good and innocent from the bad and dangerous.
