It could be read as a fictionalized account of the crime story of Charles Schmid or the fading innocence of America during the sixties. Apart from a historical perspective it could also be read from a feminist perspective and the vulnerability of women or from Christian perspective as battle between good and evil.
Even the characters are complex. Arnold Friend has a meaning behind his name and a characteristic of a psychopath beyond his personality. Connie develops as a character by breaking the deadly facade of her fantasy world and the entering the reality
These are some