Similarities Between A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Where Are You Going Where Have You Been

The short stories “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, by Flannery O’Connor and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”, by Joyce Carol Oates revolved around the themes of good and evil. Both the themes of good and evil are parallel to how people portray the concept of both dark and light. The short stories are similar in their religious references conveyed by their antagonists, but the development and the characters give readers varying perspectives. The antagonists of the stories are figurative representations of Satan. Arnold Friend from “Where Are You Going, Where Have you Been”, was depicted as Satan solely through his behaviors and intentions. In a thesis approved by the University of North Carolina written by Elizabeth MacInnes De Nittis,

The characters draw readers into the book through their unique characteristics and their relatability towards modern society. Nittis elaborates on Arnold Friend “[which revealed] his true intentions toward Connie [that] are grotesque exaggerations of the male-female dating ritual, because Connie is not to be merely flattered and seduced, but kidnapped and murdered.” When Connie was introduced in the story, she was portrayed as a young teenage girl who lives in a world of fantasy with the strong desire to reach adulthood. She dreamed of becoming one [an adult] and to be able to experience what relationships are. When Arnold Friend comes into the picture, it was as if he was the one is she has been looking for. However, she realizes the predicament she was in and immediately tried to cut ties with Arnold. The twisted plot device used on Arnold in this story makes Connie’s luck with the devil more daunting. Contrary to Arnold, The Misfit persuades the reader to sympathize with him while revealing his sinister characteristics. Assuming that The Misfit would kill the grandmother, he gives everyone [grandmother and audience] a glimpse into his past. By opening up to the grandmother about his past, he became vulnerable. This gave her the opportunity to survive by using his weakness against him. She took advantage of The Misfit’s emotions in which she thought would

In “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, the grandmother is held at gunpoint. She pleads relentlessly, trying to persuade the Misfit to let her live. In an essay by Anna Woodiwiss, she explains that “The grandmother's acceptance of someone so different from her is wrenched out of her by extraordinary circumstances, and she is only partly conscious or rational as she expresses it.” The grandmother was senile and was devoted to her traditional views, which would make her less accepting of the thoughts and ideas of others. The Misfit was the exception to her personality and her willingness to show contempt by saying he is one of her own children. By being held at gunpoint, it made the grandmother throw aside her rationality that she deems to be good. Of course she values her life, however these consequential situations have brought out the best in her. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, Connie tries to go with the flow and endures these ordeals as long as possible to try to get out of impending danger. Connie's father would arrive any minute now, she says this repeatedly after realizing the angle Arnold is playing. After Connie learned what person Arnold is, she fears for the worst and seeks help. In an existential allegory written by Marie Mitchell Oleson Urbanski, she writes that Connie “is not simply surrendering her virginal