Tobias Wolff’s story “Bible” features a female protagonist, Maureen Casey, and a male antagonist, Hassan’s father, who abducts her. Gendered inequality is one of the strongest threads that runs through the story. The father—who is not named—apparently believes that he can coerce Maureen into changing his son’s grade. His adamant belief in male superiority undergirds his rationalization for kidnapping a woman. He resents Maureen for having a position of authority, which empowers her to ruin his son’s career prospects.

“Bible” could be analyzed alongside another story that features a female protagonist who is menaced by a resentful male antagonist. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, Connie, a teenage girl, is targeted by a sinister adult man named Arnold Friend.

In both stories, the male character is empowered primarily through his gender. In addition, both male characters are alienated from mainstream society. In “Bible,” Hassan’s father is an immigrant from an unnamed country. He states that his animosity toward Maureen is based in her unfair treatment of his son, whom she has reported to the college authorities for cheating. He further reveals his support for male privilege and entitlement. Although he was a doctor in his own country, his social status has declined in the United States.

In Oates’s story, Arnold is on the outside of the popular teenage social world that Connie inhabits. The plot of the story in some ways reverses that of “Bible.” It is strongly implied at the end that Arnold is kidnapping Connie, whereas “Bible” begins with Maureen’s abduction. Arnold is a frequent, sinister presence in places the teenagers frequent. The idea of male dominance as a primary component of gendered inequality is shown by Arnold’s statements about his preferences for certain types of females and his apparent confidence in his ability to attract and control Connie.