Is Where are you going Where have you been a tragedy

When "Where Are You Going, Where have you been?" was written in 1966, it was interpreted many different ways. Many feminist and women’s rights groups saw the story as an symbol of violence against women. Others believed it was a demonstration of "pure realism" and the "grotesque." Joyce Carol Oates has never substantiated or refuted any of these claims, her only comment on the story being that Bob Dylan’s song, "It’s All Over …

…This decision by Connie is puts her in a better light for the audience as the end of the story. She has sacrificed herself to save her family, so there is no feeling of pity for Connie as the story ends. Many people may think that any death or corruption is tragic. This may be true in their own convictions, but "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" fits no definition of a tragedy.