“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” written by Joyce Carol Oates is a haunting and incredibly formidable story of a young woman's loss of innocence during a time of change social unrest and turbulence. The protagonist of the story is Connie, a self-centered but beautiful fifteen-year-old, at odds not only with her family but also with the conservative values ​​handed down by society. She, unbeknownst to her parents, spends her evenings flirting and picking up boys at a local diner while exploring her independence and individuality. One evening he attracts the attention of a strange and disturbing boy who drives a dilapidated golden convertible. One Sunday afternoon, while he is alone at home, the same creepy guy driving the gold convertible, along with a friend, stops in front of his house. She recognizes the guy from the diner and he introduces himself as Arnold Friend. Initially, the charismatic, silver-tongued stranger intrigues Connie. This intrigue quickly turns to fear as a sense of unease overwhelms her. While Arnold continually insists that she go on a ride with him, Connie refuses. He becomes more insistent and sinister and eventually threatens to harm her family if she doesn't come with him. The story ends when Connie relents and agrees to go with him; his immediate fate is uncertain. First published in 1966, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" is a story loosely based on a Life magazine article about Charles Schmid, a manipulative and creepy serial killer from Tucson, Arizona (Ramsland) who preys on girls' innocence. In addition to the real events that greatly influenced this tale, Oates was able to draw on the monumental historical events that were shaping America when it was written. T...... middle of paper ...... for years to come, making “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” a timeless literary work. Works Cited Anderson, Walt. The era of protest. Pacific Palisades, CA: Goodyear Pub., 1969. Print."A Brief Analysis of the Countercultural Movement of the 1960s." DocShare: a new way to share documents online. Network. 06 August 2011."NOW Foundation." National Organization for Women (NOW). Network. August 6, 2011. "Joyce Carol Oates." Interview by Razia Iqbal. BBC News - Home. Web. 06 August 2011. Miller, Paula M. "Joyce Carol Oates." Identities & Issues in Literature (1997): 1. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 6 August 2011. Ramsland, Katherine. "Charles Schmid, the Pied Piper of Tucson - Inspiration for Joyce Carol Oates - Crime Library on TruTV.com: No." The reality. 2011.