How I Learned to Drive: Analysis of Major Characters
"How I Learned to Drive" is a thought-provoking play that explores complex themes through its major characters, particularly focusing on the life of Li'l Bit, a young woman grappling with her identity and traumatic experiences. The narrative spans from her childhood at eleven to her adulthood at thirty-five, illustrating her evolving relationship with her uncle, Peck. Li'l Bit's story is marked by her struggle with self-image, stemming from societal ridicule about her developing body, and her unsettling bond with her uncle, who introduces her to driving as a metaphor for navigating desire and intimacy.
Uncle Peck, a deeply flawed character marked by his alcoholism and predatory behavior, embodies conflicting emotions of companionship and manipulation, complicating their relationship as Li'l Bit matures. The play also includes a Greek chorus that represents various societal influences, including the taunting of peers and the perspectives of family members, which further shape Li'l Bit's understanding of love, sexuality, and self-worth. Each character contributes to the intricate dynamics of vulnerability and control, culminating in a powerful commentary on the impact of trauma and the quest for autonomy. This rich character analysis offers a lens into the struggles of navigating familial bonds and societal expectations, making it a compelling study for those interested in themes of personal growth and resilience.
How I Learned to Drive: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Paula Vogel
First published: 1997
Genre: Play
Locale: Maryland, Philadelphia
Plot: Fiction, character study
Time: 1968
Li'l Bit, a girl, eleven through thirty-five years old. The play follows Li'l Bit's life from when she's eleven years old and getting her first driving lesson, until she is thirty-five, enjoying a long drive at top speed. She is very self-conscious about her developing breasts, which are a source of ridicule and embarrassment for her, from her family and from kids at school. From the early age of eleven, she has an intimate relationship with her uncle who teaches her how to “drive.” She is torn because she longs for the intimacy she feels with her uncle (especially since her peers and family mock her), and her growing unease with the relationship. After she breaks off all contact with her uncle and he begins drinking again, it is implied that she carries some sense of guilt for his eventual death from alcoholism.
Peck, Li'l Bit's uncle. Uncle Peck is an alcoholic and a pedophile, seeking solace in the arms of his 11-year-old niece. He feels alone and misunderstood by his wife and family, and sees Li'l Bit as someone who offers innocent companionship and solace. It is implied that he was molested when he was 11 years old. Teaching Li'l Bit to drive becomes a metaphor for teaching her about sex and desire. As Li'l Bit ages, Peck has trouble accepting her need to distance herself and be free of him. After she tells him that she never wants to see him again, he begins drinking again, eventually killing himself by falling down his stairs in an alcoholic stupor.
Male Greek chorus, takes on the role of teenage boys who play tricks on Li'l Bit, and also the crass grandfather in her life.
Female Greek chorus, carries the role of the grandmother, who suggests to Li'l Bit that sex is painful and produces horrible, bloody circumstances if she has sex with someone she doesn't love. She also claims orgasm is not real. The female Greek chorus also takes on the role of a female teenage peer who makes fun of Li'l Bit, setting up a situation for Li'l Bit to be groped by a boy.
Teenage Greek chorus, takes on the role of Li'l Bit's mother, who warns the eleven-year-old Li'l Bit not to go on a long journey with her uncle, and that she will hold Li'l Bit responsible if “anything hap pens.” She is also part of the women's discussion about sex, and whether it is painful or not. The Teenage Greek chorus also plays the role of taunting teenage peers who conspire to expose Li'l Bit's (perhaps overdeveloped) breasts.