This forum is for specific discussion on "Driver's Education" by Paula Whyman. What are your first reactions? What did you like most about the short story and/or the collection of short stories? Also what question(s) do you have about the "Driver's Education"? Students should try their best to answer each other’s questions. See Blog Assignment for additional information!
12 comments:
In Paula Whyman’s short story, “Driver’s Education”, I am surprised at her audacity at expressing her true feelings without hesitation. I praise her for it, for her truthfulness reveals her story more clearly to me, the reader. I extremely like the first person point of view through which Whyman narrates her story. This perspective leads me into her world, explaining her thoughts directly to me. I also appreciate her use of imagery and diction. Through those two literary devices, Whyman describes her experiences more vividly. For example, in the first paragraph, Whyman implies the horridness of the basement in which she receives her driver’s education—“deserted corridor” and with “ominous music” (95). She continues to apply imagery to describe her characters: Kevin with “blond curly hair, blue eyes, golden tan” and a “pimply nose” (95); Todd as “tall and broad” (95); and Mr. White as a “lean black man, fortyish, who walked with a limp” (96). Whyman’s characters come to life with her well-chosen diction and imagery.
Despite how well Whyman depicts her characters, I have three questions for her. Could Whyman possibly express her true feeling so directly without fearing of being controversial? For example, she confesses that she “began to sweat in important places” and “realized I [Whyman] was an animal” (100). This confession seems so straightforward that it appears unreal. Through the story Whyman focuses on her journey of finding an identity. Is Whyman still struggling to find her identity? At the end of the story, Whyman puts on “the thickest, blackest eyeliner” (107). Does that mean she has proved to be a “Todd-girl”? Or is she just reliving the past?
I believe Whyman’s main purpose in writing this story is to guide the readers through her journey of self-identification: who she truly is and what she wants in a relationship. I hope by reading my comment my fellow readers would become better involved in the story and understand more of Whyman’s purpose.
In Paula Whyman’s short story, “Driver’s Education”, I am surprised at her audacity at expressing her true feelings without hesitation. I praise her for it, for her truthfulness reveals her story more clearly to me, the reader. I extremely like the first person point of view through which Whyman narrates her story. This perspective leads me into her world, explaining her thoughts directly to me. I also appreciate her use of imagery and diction. Through those two literary devices, Whyman describes her experiences more vividly. For example, in the first paragraph, Whyman implies the horridness of the basement in which she receives her driver’s education—“deserted corridor” and with “ominous music” (95). She continues to apply imagery to describe her characters: Kevin with “blond curly hair, blue eyes, golden tan” and a “pimply nose” (95); Todd as “tall and broad” (95); and Mr. White as a “lean black man, fortyish, who walked with a limp” (96). Whyman’s characters come to life with her well-chosen diction and imagery.
Despite how well Whyman depicts her characters, I have three questions for her. Could Whyman possibly express her true feeling so directly without fearing of being controversial? For example, she confesses that she “began to sweat in important places” and “realized I [Whyman] was an animal” (100). This confession seems so straightforward that it appears unreal. Through the story Whyman focuses on her journey of finding an identity. Is Whyman still struggling to find her identity? At the end of the story, Whyman puts on “the thickest, blackest eyeliner” (107). Does that mean she has proved to be a “Todd-girl”? Or is she just reliving the past?
I believe Whyman’s main purpose in writing this story is to guide the readers through her journey of self-identification: who she truly is and what she wants in a relationship. I hope by reading my comment my fellow readers would become better involved in the story and understand more of Whyman’s purpose.
I really enjoyed the short story “Drivers Education” by Paula Whyman. My first reactions were that it was surprising and not what I had expected. When I first started reading, I thought it would be like another short story about a high school girl with a boyfriend. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the story and I really liked it. The author really expressed her true feelings and I appreciated the honesty. I enjoyed the style of writing used as well because there were many details that made me feel as if I was in the story. I also found the story really easy to relate to because I am around the same age as the narrator in the story. Questions I have about this short story are about the ending; I want to know if that was Todd that the author heard when she returned to visit the mall. Also, in the end, how did the author feel about returning to that place where she had so many teenage memories and seeing how worn down it looked? My final question about the ending of the story is when the author said she was divorced. Earlier in the story as a teenager, she thought the idea of divorce was unique and was vaguely jealous of Kevin for having divorced parents. In the end, I wondered if her feelings changed and how she felt looking back and being jealous at the idea of divorce. Overall this was a great short story and I am glad I read it. I look forward to meeting with the author and being able to ask some questions and hear what she has to say about the story.
Drivers Education by Paula Whyman was a very interesting short story that tells the story of a young woman named Jane Eyre that reveals her experience of taking driving classes to receive her driver’s license in the basement of the Mackleby-Warner department store. When I first was introduced to this short story I thought it was boring because when I first saw the title I saw the word “education” which made be believe that it was going to be dull. After reading the passage I began to enjoy it because it had dramatic events that related to my generation. One of the events in the story that I liked was the scene when Mr. White and Todd had a fight on the main floor because it added suspense to the story to keep readers more involved. I also like this scene because it taught Todd a lesson for all the terrible things that he done in the class. This outlook made me wonder why did Todd do all of these terrible things and why did the author make Mr. White have a plastic leg? Was it to show the capability of handicaps or to make us have sympathy for him? In addition, the relationship between Jane and Kevin kept me interested to this passage because you would think their relationship would be strong and faithful, but Todd messes up that bond causing a dramatic twist to the story. This also has me thinking why didn’t Jane say something to Kevin so she would not feel guilty? Was she afraid of telling Kevin or if she told him would he overact and fight Todd? I also enjoyed this short story because Paula used descriptive language that enabled readers to feel as if they were put into the story. Overall, I loved this story and I encourage more readers to read this short story.
I was astonished at the way that Paula Whyman uses detail in her short story “Driver's Education”. It is not about the detail but it is how she writes everything and does not seem humiliated by any of it. Also she uses such fine detail that you can see all of the action throughout the short story. There are many parts in this story that I would find humiliating. Still Paula Whyman puts it in the short story and shows it to the world. If I were her I would have been too feeble to show it to people. Thus I must salute Paula Whyman in that side of the story. There is also much high detail put in this short story. I can see the story though the excellent writing of Paula Whyman. I can see Mr. White as the “lean black man” (pg. 96) and his leg. I can see the classroom with Todd in the background and Kevin sitting with her. I wonder how she could have remembered all this. Also I wonder if she regrets any of the things she witnessed or went through. I believe that Paula Whyman wrote this story to help other readers. She wrote it to tell us t o stop and look at ourselves and judge what we see and change if we don’t. She also wrote it to tell other readers that things like not knowing who you and or what you are destined for is simply something that happens to everyone and to not freak out. “Driver’s Education” is a great story and it showed me that it is ok to not know where you are going but as long as you get through the times of doubt, you will find your own trail sooner or later.
Drivers Education, a short story by Paula Whyman, totally surprised me. I was expecting something totally different and I certainly did not anticipate enjoying the story as much as I did. Both the language the author used, as well as the content immediately struck me. The author does a great job turning what would, otherwise, be a rather uninteresting story about a simple driver’s education class into what truly is a story of a “right of passage.” The way the author writes about her memories from this class is very intriguing. We are reading the thoughts of a teenager and it feels very familiar and honest. Any teenager in a boring class can relate to daydreaming and thinking about things far off topic. The author recreates this in her multiple lapses into thought about Mr. White’s life. For example: when she drifts into thought about how Mr. White loses his leg in the Vietnam war she brings herself back to the point abruptly. Most students can relate to having to force oneself out of a reverie.
Thus, with this honest style of writing, the author is able to tell her story in a very interesting way. The main focus of the story is the narrator’s relationship with Kevin: a blond haired, blue-eyed surfer boy, and Todd: a big, older “redneck”. These two opposites are both attracted to the narrator and she seems to be attracted, at least somewhat, to both of them. I found that this plot was quite interesting. However, the story ends with a fight between Mr. White and Todd. I liked this because it was dramatic but not a cliché ending I was expecting: such as, a fight between Kevin and Todd or the narrator having to choose between the two.
Questions: Why does the author choose to focus on Mr. White so much instead of just having the other main characters be important? Why does the narrator have such an optimistic opinion of Todd? Why does the narrator turn when, at the very end of the story, a man, who it is implied might be Todd, calls out to her?
Paula Whyman's story was a real treat for me after reading way too many stories that were simply labeled as school appropriate. The writer's way of expressing things without the usual sugar coating truly amazed me. I also enjoyed the point of view of the story. The first person singular allowed me to feel close to the character and have reactions of my own. While I was reading the story I experienced several mood swings; something that does not happen to me often. The tone of the story often changed from paragraph to paragraph and kept me interested from the first letter till the last. Ms. Whyman truly broke the boundaries of writing by using everyday language. For example, in the description of Mr. White where the author used the word 'fortyish'. (96) I enjoyed this story very much and I am interested in learning more of its deeper meaning. I was wondering, as I always do when I read a story with the firs person singular point of view, if the author identifies with the main character? Also, one particular line confused me. Todd says "I'm a dumb redneck to you, right, babe?" (103) His words made me think that he was not a redneck and people only judged him by his looks. Later in the story, however, he proves to be a redneck without a doubt. Did he not think of himself as a redneck? Another thing that left me wondering is how the main character decided to ignore Kevin after the lessons ended even though he seemed to be the perfect guy for him. I blame my Y chromosome for not understanding this but I definitely would like to learn something new about girls. I hope my questions inspired my peers to think critically about this story and ask their own questions so we can have a better understanding of Paula Whyman's "Driver's Education".
I really enjoyed reading Paula Whyman’s story “Driver’s Education”. My first reaction was confusion. I thought, by reading the title, that her short story would only be about her driver’s education class. As I kept reading I soon discovered that the short story was more than that. I personally thought that since it was a class assignment that it would not be enjoyable similar to other books that the school tells us to read. But unlike other books I could actually relate “Driver’s Education”. Especially the part of the story when the narrator starts to talk about her date with Kevin Thorpe(99). Most of the time one does not except for a class assignment to actually be relatable. I also like how the author does not always follow the basic grammar rules. She has her own unique style of writing, which I one-day hope to have for myself. This short story has encouraged me to keep writing following grammar rules but to also think about what I am writing and if I can relate to it. If I cannot relate to the topic that I am writing about I will not produce a good final product. All in all, this short story was well written and it was very interesting. I am so glad that I was able to read it.
Questions:
Why does the author expand more on Mr. White and what he goes through more than the narrator of the story? I personally would have loved to read more about what happened to the narrator.
In the story the narrator stereotyped Todd as many different things before she had the chance of getting to know him. Why did the author decided to write this?(95-96)
On page 101 the narrator brought up the issue of racism briefly. Why did she choose not to expand further on that?
The short story, “Driver’s Education”, by Paula Whyman, was an exceptionally well written story. When I first read the story, I was intrigued by her diction and creative writing style. She uses simple sentences with a hint of wit to tell her story. This provides me, the reader, a sense of dramatic effect. However, I believe that Ms. Whyman’s honesty overshadowed the purpose of her essay. After all, she is a writer and has the freedom to express her feelings in her own unique way. The story contains a lot of description in her writing. For instance, Paula Whyman recites, “Every fifteen seconds or so, the fan would send a small puff of dust from the chalk tray into the air like a smoke signal. It got so I’d wait for it, watch the particles float up then rain down in slow motion, like ash on Pompeii” (96). This excerpt from her short story not only embodies description but she also uses a simile, comparing the chalk smoke to the ash of Pompeii. I praise Ms. Whyman for the fact that she takes risks. My favorite part of the story is close to the end when Todd and the female teenager were in the tent while Kevin, her boyfriend, was at home. I liked this scene the most because it was interesting and it provided a vivid description that made me feel like I was in the story. Not only was I intrigued with her writing style, but I was also able to connect with the “Driver’s Education” story. In this story, the female teenager goes to driving school where she finds a boyfriend named Kevin. I am a teenager and I can relate and connect with what Ms. Whyman was going through because a story can be universal and experiences can be shared. There are several questions that I would like to pose. Is there a deeper meaning concerning the scene of Todd and Mr. White's fight? I know that they were fighting over issues but I wonder if there was something that the author was tring to imply or forshadow with that incident. The scene could have foreshadowed a bigger issue like race or equality. Dealing with these subjects can be very controversial. Was there something we did not know about the characters who were involved in the fight? This then makes me wonder what ever happened to Mr. White's leg? Did his leg have anything to do with his inclination to fight Todd? The last question I have is what message is Paula Whyman trying to send to the readers through the use of her diction? Her writing style is interesting and there must be a motive that is making her write the way she is writing and more importantly, what is she trying to tell her readers. Even though I am unclear on Paula Whyman’s purpose of her short story, I commend her for leaping away from boundaries and that is what makes a good author.
I really enjoyed the short story “Driver’s Education” by Paula Whyman. Her language and details make the story expressive and easy to understand. I love the way she wrote from the perspective of a young girl and really expressed her thoughts. The way she described all of the characters gives the reader a vivid background on each of them and their personalities. The way she decided to choose who these people would be and how they would play a role in the story is inspiring. The story did surprise me, however, in that she was very blunt with some of her comments and descriptions. She talked about personal problems in a way that some people may be offended. One example was when the narrator admired her friend’s parents’ divorce. As I continued to read the story, I understood the plot, characters, and events but could not grasp the significance of many of the details. For instance, why Mr.White had a bad leg after he was injured. Does this detail have a special message that is being conveyed? Another example is the driver’s education topic in the story. Is this the basis of the story for a particular reason? Is this the topic so that teens can relate to the story? Lastly, I was curious about the importance of the last scene when the narrator went back to the town of her childhood. Did she go back just for memories sake? Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am very excited to meet and talk with Paula Whyman.
My overall impression of Driver’s Education by Paula Whyman was that most of the characters in the story behaved thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The narrator leads Todd, her boyfriend, on while using the excuse of not knowing if she was “a Todd-kind-of-girl or a Kevin-kind-of-girl.” She does not seem to have much sense of herself apart from how others see her. A very passive character, she lets Todd and Kevin each decide what his relationship is with her. She does not describe her own actions and gives the impression she is under Kevin’s control: “Week four, during a break, Kevin kissed me inside the tent camper that was on display in sporting goods. When we came out, he had his arm around me...” Later in the story, a similar situation takes place with Todd, who “made Kevin, who had a solid swimmer’s build, look like a scarecrow.” When Kevin stayed home from class because he had the stomach flu, Todd lured her into the same tent camper that Kevin kissed her in and forced her to stay. At first I thought he was going to assault her, because of her ominous description of his behavior and his unsavory appearance: “He flicked the cigarette lighter, so I could see his triumphant smile and the dark stubble on his chin. He did not let go of my wrist. ‘What’s the rush? There’s ten more minutes.’ He wasn’t wearing a watch, but he was right.” This made me, as a reader, worry about what was going to happen next. However, she does not worry – in fact, she giggles – and she goes along with what he wants. Are we supposed to imagine that she kissed either Todd or Kevin back, or is she just their puppet? In summary, I think Driver’s Education is a well-written story, with descriptive language and evocative allusions to other works of literature, although I do not sympathize with the characters.
I agree with everyone else that this story is an interesting story in which the author expresses her thoughts openly. However, I especially agree with Jordan's and Hugo’s perspective that the short story uses many details to reveal the author's feelings. I also like how Jordan connected the fact that the author is now divorced and that she was once jealous of Kevin's having divorced parents. To respond to Jordan’s question, I cannot speak for the author of her true feelings after her divorce, I can, however, imagine that she had written about her divorce on purpose. I think she is relating back to the theme “coming of age”. By saying that she considered having divorced parents as a “cool” fact, she shows her immaturity. She did not think of the difficulties a divorced parent has to face, neither did she imagine Kevin’s feelings of having an incomplete family. She merely was intrigued because she had not encountered such an experience. By saying she has now had a divorce, Whyman implies that she has grown past the stage of immaturity and has even lived through an experience she was so curious about when young. Clearly, after this divorce she must have gained new perspectives about having a divorce, and her opinions must differ from the ones she had when she was naïve. Whyman suggests that the passage of years has definitely shaped a different perspective for her. She is no longer the naïve girl she used to be. As an answer to Jordan’s first question, I would say the person who called the author “babe” at the end of the story serves as a bridge between the author and her past. I do not think Whyman’s main purpose in writing about this person is to cause curiosity, instead, I think she is trying to tell the reader that no matter how much she has changed over the years, there is still something that connects her with her past. She still shares some of the characteristics she has had in youth, and her past would remain a part of her what changes have undergone in her life. She would never forget Todd, neither would she forget about her “driver’s education”.
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