The character Connie in Joyce Carol Oates short story “Where Are Going, Where Have You Been?” has a lot of issues. The problems Connie has with her social life, family, and the people that she talks to come to control her future which anticipates the development of her character, this correlating to her unfortunate death. The Bob Dylan song “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” perfectly describes her situation which was the inspiration for Oates's story. In 'Where Are You Going Where Have You Been' music is a big influence on Connie and Friend specifically rock ‘n' roll music. Throughout this story, there are plenty of references to music becoming a lifestyle and characters mimicking their favorite artists' clothing trends. The revolution of rock …show more content…
Throughout the 1950’s and ‘60’s radio stations that played rock music gained a listening audience of mostly teenagers. Whether Connie is at at home or, the drive-in, rock music serves as a constant element in her environment: “They listened to the music that made everything so good: the music was always in creative ways, like music at a church service; it was something to depend upon”(Oates,1035). During the story Connie’s character takes the music very directly. Popular lyrics from her favorite songs inspired her fantasies about life and love relationships. In this time period, rock ‘n’ roll performers would set hair and clothing trends. These trends physically impacted the youth of the day who would strive to imitate what they saw and heard was trendiest. In the short story, Arnold Friend, a man that appears to be in his thirty, tries to capture this image by “ [having] a convertible jalopy painted gold” and “tight faded jeans stuffed into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pullover shirt that was a little soiled and showed the hard small muscles of his arms and shoulders” in order to appeal to teenagers like Connie (Oates,1035-1038). His ‘look’ mimics that of the popular film stars in the !950’s and 60’s. Besides his appearance, Friend uses the same rock station that Connie listens to when he pulls up to her house to lure her in and make her feel more relaxed. In these ways he resembles her peers, making her believe that he is like “everyone else” her
I think Connie opened the screen door because she wanted to escape from her life with her family into some kind of fantasy. I think there were other reasons also, but the story points to this one in many places.
In Justin Pearson's memoir, From the Graveyard of the arousal Industry, he recounts the events that occured from his early years of adolesence to the latter years of his adulthood telling the story of his unforgiving and candid life. Set in the late 1970s "Punk" rock era, From the Graveyard of the Arousal Industry offers a valuable perspective about the role culture takes in our lives, how we interact with it and how it differs from ideology.
1. The sociocultural history of rock & roll during the 1950s created a metamorphosis of teenage mannerisms against the older generation. Shumway (118) emphasizes how the rock & roll periodization represses the nature of normal convention illustrated in “Blackboard Jungle”; through the deviant nature of boys against adults. The boys are malicious towards each other, sneering at one another just as Vince Everett did in “Jailhouse Rock”. While the post-war generation tried to discipline the baby boomers into their known demeanor, the recalcitrant teens rebelled against all means of adult intervention. Similarly Szatmary (50) expressed the generation gap between the baby-boomer and their parents fueled the fear of delinquency in their children. Shumway (125) refers to “Blackboard Jungle” to reiterate the essence of the song “Rock around the Clock” to define the conception of foreseen dangers of youth and the behaviors associated with rock & roll as a transformative cultural practice. In reference to the integration between African Americans and whites during the rock and roll era thr...
In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates, Connie is a normal teenage girl who is approached outside her home by a guy named Arnold Friend who threatens to harm her, and she obeys, if she does not get in the car with him. Connie is the main character in this story who teaches us that sometimes we might search for adult independence too early before we are actually ready to be independent and on our own. Connie is so focused on her appearance that she works hard to create a mature and attractive adult persona that will get her attention from guys. This search for independence conflicts with Connie’s relationship with her family and their protection of her. Connie’s insecurity and low self-esteem is triggered by her fear of intimacy. Connie confuses having the attention of men with actually having them pursue her in a sexual way.
The story of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll has a mythical quality to it. It speaks of racial barriers bridged through the fusion of Afro-American musical styles with white popular music in 1950s America. Not only did white record producers and radio disc jockeys market Afro-American artists, but white artists began to cover their songs, as well as incorporate Afro-American style into their own song writing. The musical style was so powerful that the white audience was infected by it, despite the social stigma that listening to “race music” possessed. The common view of teenagers’ participation in the creation of rock ‘n’ roll as an act of rebellion runs parallel with the music’s legendary origins. Through rock ‘n’ roll, the teenagers of the United States created a generational gap that angered their parents’ generation. Teenagers rejected kitchy Tin Pan Alley, “Sing Along with Mitch,” and the sleepy crooning of Perry Como in favour of sexually charged race music. Historians have taken different approaches to the question of teen rebellion. While some consider their love of rock ‘n’ roll revolutionary, others argue that the music cemented teenagers within the conformity and materialism of the 1950s; what cars were to adults, rock ‘n’ roll was to teens.[1]
In Joyce Carol Oates short story, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? the reader is immediately introduced to the main character, Connie; a young girl who obsesses over herself and puts little value on her family or loved ones. Throughout the story readers are also introduced to a man named Arnold Friend. Oates uses this character to reveal to readers the true psychological flaws of Connie that are most likely a result of the lack of a male figure in her life. Readers are also introduced to a man by the name of Arnold Friend. The story displays Arnold friend as a “stalker,” because prior to developing a friendship with Connie, he already knows too much about her personal life.
After WWII played out, population shifts occurred in the US. With southern traditions, and music, coming into contact with new urban based music, the audience that followed it, and mixing the sounds of the “boogie woogie” of rhythm and blues, the soulfulness of gospel, and throwing a dash of country twang in there, the recipe for Rock ‘n’ Roll was finished, and a whole new genre created. “The sound of the city”. Although an exciting new period for a lot of 1950s youth, “th...
Most things have their beginnings in something small: a word, a breath, or idea; but not music. Music begins with a single vibration. It explodes and carries on, morphing worlds of unrelated personas. It lives rampantly in the mouths of millions of unruly and free-spirited teenagers, like a fever. The rock 'n roll trend that defiantly rose against the conformist ideology of the mid-twentieth century left remnants that commenced the start of a progressing society: a culture that redefined the rules of society and pushed social and moral limits while addressing social concerns.
The overuse of biblical allusions throughout the story helps to expose the naive nature of Connie that reveals her as a victim of evil which shows that lust often transgresses on an individual’s identity. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” Joyce Carol Oates expressed the subjective ideas by symbolizing Arnold Friend as a devil that tempts a clueless teenage girl Connie, who wanted to experience love.
In closing, the undoubtable influence of music, more specifically of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society is responsible for a number of changes to the status quo. These range from sexual liberation and racial desegregation all culminating with other influences to create an intergenerational identity. Despite the desperate attempts of older generations to smother these influences, these changes ultimately shaped the years that followed, molding the country into what it is today. Along the way these changes as well as individual involvement in them has also eased the lives of many through empowerment and a feeling of community and purpose. Despite a lull and renewal Rock ‘n’ Roll continues to serve as an agent of influence and change in today’s youth culture and continues to burn in the heart of past generations of loyal fans.
McLeese, Don. “The Spirit of a Rocker.” New York Times. 18 October 1987. Web. 11
Reader Response Essay - Joyce Carol Oates's Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
The rise of rock and roll into the limelight is to a large extent attributed to the teenagers of the 1950’s. Early rock music listened to by teenagers during the 1950’s was formed by blending together Rhythm and blues with country music. This kind of ...
In Joyce Carol Oates's short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" the protagonist introduced is Connie, who is an interesting and strong character. Just like every other teenager, she is searching for a purpose and trying to find her place in society. Although Connie seems to be an incredibly self absorbed teenage girl, there is a part of her personality that is different than the rest. She lives a double life, having one personality around her house, with her family, and the other when she is hanging out with friends in public. Due to this double personality, the reader can't help but become intrigued and question which girl she truly is.
In conclusion this report has helped us understand the significance of Music in America. Also, the impact it has on music we listen too. Music is very much like a big chain reaction. Rock ‘N’ Roll, much like music today, stood out and was in a way rebellious. Parents now hate Rap and we love it. People in the 70’s loved Rock ‘N’ Roll and parents hated it. This shows that maybe no matter how much older people deny it, the time gap and generation gap is not too far apart. Without Rock ‘N’ Roll the World would without a doubt be changed. Any guess to that of which way would be a good one.