Where Are You Going...

I had absolutely no idea where this story was going when it started, but I was so uncomfortable by the end. As soon as it began, I immediately felt uneasy about what was going to happen. I thought there was going to be a big argument or fight between Connie and her mom or something way less creepy than what happened. I have to say that Oates did a fantastic job maintaining tension throughout the entire piece. I actually don't know if I would call it tension or stress or anxiety or what, but it was done excellently. I think building up Connie to have all these delicate, young features created a lot of sympathy for her, despite the fact that she clearly was deceitful in admitting that there are two sides to her - Connie and Home and Connie Anywhere Else.

Looking back at the story a second time, I should have immediately picked up on the fact that something horrible happened because the first sentence is "Her name was Connie." She was Connie. Not she is Connie. That first sentence connects to the end and brings the whole story full-circle, as well as alluding to the fact that Arnold Friend most likely killed her. As soon as she saw him at the drive-in diner, my stress levels increased significantly. It was very clear from the first time he was mentioned, when he said, "Gonna get you, baby," that he was going to be a major player in the story. Once he got to her house and began saying that he knew everything about her and her life and family, my heart stopped.

I think I had a really strong reaction to the entire interaction because I'm absolutely terrified of something like what happened to Connie happening tome. I was so shaken by the end that I'm honestly having a very hard time thinking about the story in a critical way.