How I Learned to Drive

¶ … Drive

The short story, How I Learned to Drive, was written by author Paula Vogel. While this piece is centered around an autobiographical style, it remains a mystery as to whether or not is her autobiography. The overall tone of this story is that of a woman named Lil' Bit who describes experiences of sexual assault in her younger years. As of now, she is in her 30's and reflecting upon the experience of having been molested by her Uncle Peck; the sexual abuse lasted from age 11 through 18

years of age. Paula Vogel is a very creative, brilliant writer because she does not depict her Uncle Peck as the monstrous figure that most child molesters tend to be viewed. Although the subject matter is graphic and horrifying, Vogel smoothly gives him the appearance of a normal person, who is flawed, just like the rest of us. At times, he seems personable like someone you may wish to befriend.

Lil' Bit is a very well versed character with deep thoughts and emotions, making her an ideal character for an actress in a play. Lil Bit is described as someone having grown up without a father or any type of father figure in her life, along with the fact that she developed at an early age. Many girls do not develop hips and breasts until early puberty, so she seemingly looked more like a real woman, rather than a little girl, while she was very young. Unfortunately, this presents her with a sexual prowess that most young girls are not ready for. Even the young boys at the pre-puberty stage take notice of how well endowed Lil Bit has become and makes her feel like an outcast among her classmates, and even family members. This rejection makes her more vulnerable to the attention that

Uncle Peck gives her. She is not powerless, however, as her uncle permits her to decide when and where their sexual liaisons will occur.

Unlike most young girls who engage in sex at such an early age, Lil' Bit describes the feeling of the relationship with her uncle, rather than creating him as the villain of the piece. She feels like she is receiving desirable attention from him, since she does not have a father, nor understands what it is like to have a father figure in her life. Clearly, the attention received from Uncle Peck on some level is desirable, but she is still aware the relationship is not appropriate. Deep down, she is hurt, but is able to glean some positive aspects from this experience from Uncle Peck.

The psychological dynamics of this work portray a woman, like many other women who have been abused, who is strong and refused to feel defeated. That is the primary reason many victims do not condemn their predators. Another reason is that on a whole scale, nobody escapes their childhood unscathed and while not all children suffer sexual abuse, other forms of abuse such as physical, mental or simple harsh teasing from other kids, can have a strong detrimental effect even in adulthood. Lil'

Bit is able to control her situation by permitting her uncle to molest her once per week; instead of feeling victimized, she is able to make the decision as to when and where this will take place.