Historical Context
Sexual activity between an adult and a minor is termed "statutory rape." This term describes a situation where the act may appear consensual but is legally considered rape because minors are deemed incapable of giving informed consent. The age at which someone can legally consent to sex varies by state, generally falling between sixteen and eighteen years old. In the play How I Learned to Drive, Uncle Peck eagerly counts down the days until Li'l Bit's eighteenth birthday, aware that he will then be able to have sex with her legally, without risking imprisonment for statutory rape.
Laws prohibiting sexual relations with minors have always been enforced in the United States. However, the 1960s saw a sexual revolution that diminished much of the social stigma surrounding various sexual behaviors. Beginning in the 1950s with Playboy magazine making pornography a mainstream business, and continuing through the late 1960s and early 1970s with a counter-culture movement among college students protesting the Vietnam War, sexuality began to be viewed as a personal matter rather than a governmental one. During this period, laws criminalizing homosexuality were challenged, sometimes successfully, and divorce laws were modified to give individuals more freedom in defining an unsatisfactory marriage. From the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, society frequently debated which sexual practices were morally wrong versus those deemed wrong by outdated traditions.
The social changes that fueled the sexual revolution also propelled the women's movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Feminists highlighted issues that were long known but rarely discussed publicly, such as rape, domestic violence, and incest. In the 1970s, literature began to emerge that explored the psychological harm inflicted by adults who sexually abuse children. One of the earliest and most famous of these works was Louise Armstrong's Kiss Daddy Goodnight, which detailed her experiences of being molested by her father throughout her childhood; it became a bestseller in 1978. Following Armstrong's success, more women began to come forward about their experiences of sexual abuse by older individuals, often male relatives. Throughout the 1980s, the stigma associated with having been abused decreased as survivors united, drawing strength and pride from their resilience.
Support groups for survivors of childhood abuse expanded rapidly and became so prevalent that they faced a backlash in the 1990s. Part of this backlash stemmed from resentment toward celebrities who shared their experiences of childhood sexual abuse. When figures like Oprah Winfrey, Suzanne Somers, and Rosanne Barr publicly discussed their traumatic pasts, many Americans showed empathy, but others, unsympathetic to the wealthy and famous, dismissed the issue. The more prevalent childhood abuse stories became, the more some people began to ignore the gravity of the subject.
An extreme theory concerning child sexual abuse contributed both to the surge in reported cases and to the increasing skepticism. Repressed Memory Syndrome, rooted in Freudian theory, suggests that individuals who experience trauma may lose memory of the event, which can later be recovered to reconstruct what happened. This theory led to a wave of headlines in the 1990s about people suddenly "remembering" childhood abuse by their parents. As these stories grew more outlandish, suspicions mounted. Individuals claimed to recall being forced into Satanic sex and murder cults decades earlier; grown children accused parents and grandparents of abuse without any corroborating physical or behavioral evidence. As cases based on Repressed Memory Syndrome became more frequent in the news, the methods used to recover these memories faced scrutiny. In many instances, psychoanalysts prompted patients to claim they remembered childhood sexual abuse through suggestive, leading questions. (For example, if someone recalled a bath given by an older relative,...
(This entire section contains 690 words.)
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the analyst might ask, "And where did his/her hands go on you?") Often, these repressed memories were retrieved using techniques not widely accepted as rigorous psychological science, such as hypnosis, visualization, and trance therapy. While sexual abuse is undeniably traumatic and repression is a recognized psychological defense mechanism, most researchers remain skeptical of the claims made by proponents of Repressed Memory Syndrome. The sensationalism and questionable scientific basis of this field have fueled the backlash against sexual abuse survivors, prompting writers like Paula Vogel to explore the issue from alternative perspectives.
Style and Technique
The play "How I Learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel intertwines music, form, and symbolism to explore complex themes like adolescent confusion and sexual initiation. Through these elements, the play offers a nostalgic yet critical reflection on the protagonist's past, blurring the lines between innocence and experience. Vogel uses these techniques to evoke a unique atmosphere that challenges the audience's perception of serious subjects with a blend of humor and poignancy.
Music
Music plays a vital role in setting the tone for the narrative of "How I Learned to Drive." Paula Vogel's script incorporates tunes from the 1960s, featuring Motown hits as well as songs by artists like Roy Orbison, Jan and Dean, and the Beach Boys. These choices are not merely nostalgic; they mirror the romantic and subtly sensual undertones of the era. The scenes unfold with a soundtrack that evokes the harmonic richness of 1950s doo-wop, casting a romantic and wistful light on the troubling events of Li'l Bit's adolescence. When the chorus, embodying Li'l Bit's family, sings in three-part harmony, it deepens the emotional resonance, juxtaposing the romantic allure of the music with the uncomfortable reality of her relationship with Uncle Peck.
Form
The structure of "How I Learned to Drive" is non-linear, with scenes presented largely in reverse chronological order. This creative choice accentuates the complexity of Li'l Bit's journey. The play begins when Li'l Bit is seventeen, already entangled in a physical relationship with her uncle. It then moves back to earlier ages: sixteen, when she gets her driver's license; fifteen, when her physical development is publicly noticed; and thirteen, when she first agrees to secret meetings with Peck. The pivotal moment occurs on her eighteenth birthday, a moment of potential liberation thwarted by Li'l Bit's decision to break away, leading Peck to spiral into self-destruction. The final scene, featuring an eleven-year-old Li'l Bit pestering her mother, reveals the origins of her relationship with Peck, illustrating how her naivety and curiosity played a role in its evolution.
The inclusion of dramatic monologues further enriches the play's form. Li'l Bit, as an adult, frequently addresses the audience directly, framing her life experiences as if they were lessons in a drivers' education class. These monologues and titled segments, like "On Men, Sex, and Women," "Uncle Peck teaches cousin Bobby to fish," and "Aunt Mary on behalf of her husband," provide a satirical narrative framework. They highlight the clash between societal norms and raw human desires, with Li'l Bit's mother's lecture on "A mother's guide to social drinking" serving as a poignant example.
Symbolism
Driving, as a central symbol in the play, represents the transition from innocence to experience, aligning closely with the themes of sexual initiation. The act of learning to drive, guided by Uncle Peck, draws a parallel to his seductive influence over Li'l Bit. Cars, frequently seen as symbols of freedom and power, serve as intimate settings where societal scrutiny is absent, emphasizing the dual nature of control and vulnerability. The narrative reaches a critical juncture when Li'l Bit receives her driver's license, a milestone marked by her first drink—another rite of passage. This scene foreshadows Peck's later downfall, as his life unravels along with his loss of job, wife, and driver's license.
The connection between driving and sex is most vividly illustrated in the scene where Peck allows eleven-year-old Li'l Bit to steer the car while sitting on his lap. This moment intertwines the thrill of controlling a vehicle with the unsettling intrusion of Peck's touch, forever linking the concepts in Li'l Bit's mind. As an adult, Li'l Bit's reflection in the rearview mirror symbolizes her retrospection on these formative experiences, offering a powerful metaphor for examining one's past with clarity and awareness. The rearview mirror becomes a literal and figurative device enabling Li'l Bit to confront and navigate the complexities of her history.
Compare and Contrast
1960s: Popular music, like the songs mentioned in the notes for this play, subtly suggests sexual activity.
Today: Many popular songs openly talk about couples engaging in sex.
1960s: Pedophilia is rarely discussed. A child reporting inappropriate behavior by an older relative would likely not be believed.
Today: Pedophilia is a common topic on daytime television. Support groups have been created to seriously address allegations that family members might prefer to ignore.
1960s-1970s: Drinking alcohol is seen as an acceptable leisure activity. A "gentleman" could more easily buy a drink for a sixteen-year-old girl, as Peck does in the play.
Today: Recognizing the link between alcohol consumption and car accidents, most states now strictly enforce underage drinking laws.
1960s: America's dependence on mass transit drops to a third of what it was during World War II, due to the rise in private car ownership and the extensive road construction of the 1950s and 1960s.
Today: Many people in urban areas are opting for mass transit over cars because of severe traffic congestion.
Adaptations
An uncut edition of How I Learned to Drive, featuring Glenna Headly and Randall Arney, was released in 1999 by L.A. Theater Works on both audiocassette and compact disc.
Bibliography
SOURCES
Daniels, Robert L., Review of How I Learned to Drive, in Variety, March 24, 1997, p. 42.
Isherwood, Charles, Review of The Mineola Twins, in Variety, February 22, 1999, p. 159.
Kanfer, Stefan, Review of How I Learned to Drive, in New Leader, June 30, 1997, p. 21.
Schultze, Quentin J., et al., "The Heart of Rock and Roll: The Landscape of a Musical Style," in Dancing in the Dark: Youth, Popular Culture, and the Electronic Media, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1992.
Stone, Laurie, Review of How I Learned to Drive, in Nation, July 28, 1997, p. 34.
Vogel, Paula, How I Learned to Drive, Dramatists Play Service, Inc., 1998.
FURTHER READING
Armstrong, Louise, Rocking the Cradle of Sexual Politics,
Addison-Wesley, 1994.
Armstrong, whose book Kiss Daddy Goodnight initiated a new era of candid
discussions about pedophilia, explores how societal perceptions of crimes
against children evolved from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Holtzman, Linda, Media Messages: What Film, Television and Popular Music
Teach Us about Race, Class, Gender, and Sexual Orientation, M. E. Sharpe,
2000.
Holtzman, a former chair of the Department of Communications at Webster
University, analyzes how people like Li'l Bit have formed their self-identities
through mass culture over the years.
Kincaid, James, Erotic Innocence: The Culture of Child Molesting,
Duke University Press, 1998.
Kincaid argues that Western culture, while ostensibly protecting children from
sexual complexity, actually sexualizes them by making their innocence an erotic
trait.
Marsh, Peter, and Peter Collett, Driving Passion: The Psychology of the
Car, Faber and Faber, 1987.
This book delves into the psychological aspects of driving, including feelings
of power, control, and freedom, which Li'l Bit discusses in the play.
