why does connie not succeed in breaking loose from arnold's spell?

I don't think that Connie has the maturity to navigate what exactly is happening with Arnold. Connie spends much of her time fantasizing, playing “trashy daydreams” over and over in her mind (1). Reality—her concrete experiences—fade into vague yearnings for love and desire. In her backyard and in her bedroom, she easily drifts in and out of dreams, lulled by the music she loves. With the arrival of Arnold Friend, the already blurred line between fantasy and reality becomes even more confused and disturbing. Their entire interaction is surreal, filled with secret codes, special signs, and apparently supernatural powers, prompting certain critics to brand the episode a dream or, more accurately, a nightmare. Fantasy and reality become particularly confused during Connie’s collapse by the phone.