O'Connor's Influence

When Joyce Carol Oates was asked in a 1969 interview whether she was like Flannery O'Connor, she responded,

"I don't know. I used to think that I was influenced by O'Connor. I don't know that I am really. She is so religious, and her works have to be seen as religious works with this other rather creepy dimension in the background, whereas in my writing there is only the natural world."

Interesting, no? Oates said that before "Where are you going, where have you been" was published. The truth is, whether JCO likes it or not, there is so much of the non-"natural" world going on in "WAYGWHYB."

Of course, the most obvious part of that is Arnold Friend as Satan or Satanic or a Seductor in general.

MOREEEEEEEEEEE