Joseph Williams Discussion 13

Rena Korbs’ article states that “The loss of Connie to Arnold Friend is thus not only the story of one girl’s fatal misperception of appearances but also a representation of a loss of innocence.” I could not agree more. Our protagonist (Connie) is described as a vein 15-year-old. Through the story, we learn that she is a little boy crazy as well (Frequenting the drive-thru of the older kids eagerly leaving her friend to spend time with a boy she felt attracted to, even spending time with him in his car in an alley {possibly engaging in promiscuous activity} spending her summer thinking/dreaming about the boys she met). We also learn that she displays two separate personalities depending on where she is. At home, she shies away to avoid her mother’s criticism. When out in the world her demeanor is one that garners attention, even her style of dress differs (“She wore a pull-over jersey blouse that looked one way when she was at home and another way when she was away from home.”). She is teetering on the cusp of maturity, hiding behind the guise of innocence at home. To me, Arnold Friends arrival marks the collision of the two worlds she attempts to keep separate. Arnolds’ request for her to come outside can be seen as a metaphorical representation of temptation (mature desires), beckoning her to leave behind her innocence (represented by her home and the personality she shows her family) to embrace her “womanhood” (the personality she exhibits to the world). Arnold speaks in a way that is supposed to sound comforting but is threatening. This can be viewed as a warning to Connie about the falsehoods that exist in the world she’ll embrace if she chooses to go with Arnold aka the embodiment of Maturity/loss of innocence. Her standing in the doorway engaging in conversation with Arnold knowing that she should distance herself because he is a threat represents her fascination and attraction to the perceived temptation he represents. In the end, despite the danger, Connie decides to shed her innocence and embrace sinful maturity.