What the writer is forming about society

You are to develop a theme-based thesis statement (Discuss what central idea you think the writer is making about society) that is not just focused on just the story and/or the characters. For example, “Parents should avoid comparing children because this may cause harm to children’s relationship.” Or “The Arnold Friends in our society use the Internet to lure unsuspecting teens into their web, so parents need to monitor their child/children’s use of computers closely.” While defending your thesis, incorporate personal experiences, in combination with research, that act as examples to help me understand your point of view.
What I want you to do is parallel (or compare) the symbolic conflicts that occur in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” (Pages 453-466) to conflicts that happen in our present day society.