Where are you going, where have you been?

This story made me think about the Nirvana song "Rape Me". Although it is actually an anti-rape song, at first I thought it was about being desperate to the point of desiring such a thing. Connie is sure of herself; she is aware of her mother's jealousy. Yet as with any 15 year old, she is riddled with insecurities. She is actually attracted to Arnold Friend in a way, despite how obviously sinister his demeanor. She is attracted to someone who is attracted to her, especially so brazenly as Arnold Friend. I read a post where someone argued that Connie was to blame since she went along with Mr. Friend. While this claim seems a bit simplistic and irrelevant, it did make me think about the attraction aspect.
I overheard a conversation once at the lunch table in high school between two girls, where one of them remarked, "Well, I'd be getting raped. You would be having sex with a stranger."

Its very cool how Arnold Friend's name can be written as "A. Friend" and is only one letter away from "An old Friend". There's actually a story called The Three Brothers by J.K. Rowling where the wisest brother greets death "as an old friend." Along with his alarmingly extensive knowledge of her and his ill-fitting boots, this reinforces his parallels to the devil.
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"contains elements of the cautionary tales of youth. The kinds where it would be very unwise to mimic the main character's actions. The author Joyce Carol Oates dedicated her story to Bob Dylan, and his song "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" was an influence:

You must leave now, take what you need you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out, the saints are comin' through
And its all over now, baby blue

The images evoked are of departure and a loss of innocence, like how Connie is taken from her house by Arnold Friend. Of course "the vagabond who's rapping at you door/Is standing in the clothes you once wore" also relates.