Smooth Talk Comparison

Many times when you read a story and watch the movie after, you realize a lot of

differences rather than the similarities; however, in both the story “Where are you going, Where

Have You Been” and the movie “Smooth Talk”, there is an abundance of similarities, such as

Connie wanting to be independent and her character growth, and surprisingly, only few

differences. The viewer and reader both notice the same themes and character developments;

however, the differences fall heavily on the ending and the relationship between the characters.

Independence. This is the word that comes to mind when the reader and viewer are asked

what the theme of the story is. Throughout both the movie and story there are multiple points

where Connie

In the movie she ask her mother to go to the beach and her

mother ask her “With who?” Connie responds saying “By myself.” Connie and her mother begin

to bicker and argue and ultimately she ends up not going to the beach. This shows that she was

trying her hardest to make herself independent. She was not waiting for her friends to go off and

do what they want, nor was she listening to her mother who warned her about what’s best for

her. She chose to use her sexuality to get the men she wanted and because of this, you see that

she sees herself as a strong, independent woman, until all that she had built up becomes torn

down by Arnold Friend. Once this happens you notice not only shift in the character, but in the

“She knew she was pretty and that was everything” (pg. 371). The character that Connie

shows herself to be in both the movie and story is one filled with pride and vanity. All

throughout both, Connie acts as though she is omnipotent and as if she has the world at her

fingertips; however, once Arnold Friend walks up to her doorstep, it all fades away. All the good

looks, all the pride, and all the independence slips away from her and is single-handily