Where Are You Going Where Have You Been Historical Context

The Groovy Historical Context

Joyce Carol Oates is a great American author and Princeton Professor. She wrote the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" The story was inspired by two very different American men. The first was the serial killer Charles Schmid. He was convicted of murdering young girls in Tucson, Arizona in 1966. He served as the template for the story’s villain Arnold Friend. The second inspiration for the story was Bob Dylan. He was a prominent musician from the 1960’s. The two men who inspired "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" were both widely known figures from the 1960’s. That is why I believe it is most effective to look at the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" from the

It echoed major changes that were happening in American Culture. It was a major force for a generation that was fighting for gargantuan changes in society. Social Activism was a major component of popular music. There were protest songs against the Vietnam War and against racial discrimination. Bob Dylan performed many of the most popular protest songs. Some of his most popular songs were “Hurricane”, “Blowin in the Wind”, “The Times They Are A-Changing”, and “Masters of War” (pars. 3-11). Bob Dylan inspired the story through his song “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” The author, Joyce Carol Oates, even dedicates the story: “For Bob Dylan” (126). Music is important to the story because Connie is always listening to it. Oates writes, “… the music was always in the background, like music at a church service; it was something to depend upon” (127). The music is about change and that is why it appeals to Connie. She is a teenager metamorphosing. She is changing from a girl into a woman. Connie is trying on her womanhood when she goes out with her friends. She does not act the same way at home as she does when she goes

The role of women was changing in the 1960’s. Women were breaking into higher paying careers. Women were no longer content to be house wives. Connie represents this by her attitude towards her mother. Connie likes to go out on the town. She does not want to just stay at home and take care of the house. Connie wants to be more than just a homemaker. She enjoys the freedom that women of the era were gaining. According to “Feminism : A Beginner's Guide”, “When social roles require women to be wives and mothers, they live and work in isolation” (47). Connie’s Mother has always been a housewife and she is isolated and alone. She does not have the freedom that Connie enjoys. Connie and her mother are always arguing with each other. Connie has the opportunity to get an education, a career, and control when she has a baby. These are all oppurtunities that her mother did not have