“I even whipped off my phoney ponytail and threw it in the back seat, and he screamed, ‘GAAAAAA,’ and skidded off the road. And then he said, really sarcastic, ‘You got anything else unnatural?’” (pg. 12)
McFerren seems to view a road trip as a boring process that cannot be endured for long unless one starts entertaining himself or herself. The narrator comments that “there’s simply nothing out there” (pg. 12) on the road. Unlike Sal, who by the end his trip still wants to be somewhere else other than home, the narrator does not derive her entertainment from experiences with new surroundings. On the other hand, when she is in the car, she would behave in a way that she normally would not when in public. Instead of acting all reserved and lady-like, she would do wild and “unnatural” things like taking everything off and throwing stuff around. The narrator admits that she would have to “duck” (pg. 12) or hide from the “real world” if she was not going through places like Scofield or La Tuna. Therefore, being on the road might mean an opportunity to express oneself to the fullest and not be restrained by society.
Does anyone feel a connection to this? Is there ever that feeling of freedom to behave in any way you want in the car as opposed to in a public setting? I think so!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree that the narrator in this excerpt describes a road trip as a way to escape from society's standards; a time to "start taking off your clothes" and become one with your inner wild side. The liberating feeling of the open road drives her to behave in a way that wouldn't usually be accepted and yet she thrives on the thrill. According to the narrator, being in a car is, in a sense, the perfect time to throw convention out the window, as long as you're going to places where you "don't even need to duck".
ReplyDeleteWould the narrator have a different perspective if she was the one driving?
I also agree with Claire that the purpose of a road trip is to let yourself go. To the narrator, a road trip is your own time to let loose and have fun because no one knows you. She even states that "there's simply nothing out there(p.12)," explaining that there's no need to hide your true self because no one is watching, and no one cares. You could take off your clothes like she did, and even if someone criticized you for it, you wouldn't see them again.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator talks about being wild and crazy, yet she brings up a very common stereotype of guys "doing the driving" while girls mess with the radio. Why?
I think it's interesting that Julie pointed out the stereotype of guys "doing the driving"; I don't know if I would have thought of it if she hadn't pointed it out, and when I read back over the poem, it became even more apparent.
ReplyDeleteJust look at the title- Women in Cars. When I first read it through, I looked at the sense of freedom the author portrayed, the wildness of nobody knowing who you are and being able to do whatever you want, but could there be some sexism underlying?
I guess I saw this part as the narrator taking the chance to be free and natural, not caring what her partner would think or say. Obviously by his reaction, he wasn't quite prepared for her to strip off her hair followed by her clothing. She is in a "boring" situation and finds that an instant relief, at a time where most around are sleeping, is to be nude. The car gives her some covering and shelter from the "real world" just outside the doors. This road trip for her is a chance to go against the social norms and expectations, especially since she is alone in a car with a guy. There are times that I'm bored in my car so I'll dance and sing along with the radio, though I wouldn't dare do this in public. Yes, my example is not as extreme, but the sense of freedom and lack of self-consciousness allowed by being blocked by the car is the same.
ReplyDeleteWould she be willing to be this daring if there were people awake and somewhat aware of her presence?