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"In the Driver's Seat" and Feminist Ideologies "In the Driver's Seat", written by Norma Hess, is a short story that allows for the application of feminist ideologies as they pertain to travel. The protagonist of the story, Emma, uses the road and travel in order to participate in a traditionally male space of society. Emma travels in order to assert her power and independence, as well as the illustrate the feminist ideologies of the transition from confinement to the "private sphere", or the home, to the "public sphere", which is represented as the road. However, Emma's character does represent a paradox within the story. While she is the embodiment of feminist ideals, she also has a semi-traditional connection to her home. Yet, her connection to her home is not one of confinement. Emma is able to explore outside of her home, as is illustrated by her love of driving and her travels. Ultimately, Emma wants to protect her home from traditional domesticity, and she uses the road as a means to accomplish this. "In the Driver's Seat" "In the Driver's Seat" tells the story of Emma, whose best friend and traveling companion, Fran, has just passed away. However, Emma finds that she is able to still hear Fran's voice speaking to her inside of her head, and consequently, Emma holds conversations with her. These conversations unnerve her family, especially her daughter in law, Sharon, who holds the role of the traditional housewife. When Emma falls ill, her family uses this as an excuse to make her go to a hospital. Yet on the way to the hospital, Fran helps Emma realize that she does not need to and is not at all obligated to go to the hospital. The story concludes with Emma moving from the passenger seat to the driver's seat and driving off down the highway.
"In the Driver's Seat" serves as a representation of several feminist ideologies, and Emma makes these ideals a reality through her use of the road. One feminist ideal is the notion of the change of a woman's role from the traditional, domestic woman to one who participates in the public sphere of society. Emma illustrates this transition by her constant travels and the fact that she is not a traditional woman at all. She is essentially the head of her household, she is willful and says what she thinks, she is fiercely independent, and she is not domestic in the least. In addition, another feminist ideal that Emma represents is the embodiment of power and independence. Emma is able to achieve these traits by her travels and her role as a driver. Power is defined in several ways, yet one aspect of power is the ability to stop something from taking place as well as the ability to cause something to happen. Emma shows this characteristic of power by her decision to resist her hospilization and drive away down the highway.
However, Emma does have a certain connection to her home, as well as to her travels. Yet, this connection is not a traditional domestic relationship, because she is not at all confined to her home. She is not a slave to domestic values; in reality, she is the protector of her home from these traditional principles. When she is being taken to the hospital, Fran makes Emma realize that Sharon, the traditional housewife, will be coming into Emma's home and cleaning it up, thereby making Emma's home a foreign area to her. The fact that this comment aids in Emma's decision to return to her home illustrates that Emma seeks to guard it from traditionalism, the very ideal that she does not embody in the least. Emma equates ideals of the car with ideals of the home, because as she is driving down the highway in the closing scene of the story, she receives images of her home while feeling completely safe inside of her car. The home and the car both serve as sources for protection and strength for Emma. Ultimately, Emma is able to use the road and her character that traveling gives her as a means to protect her home from traditional domesticity.
Emma serves as a dual representation of feminist values associated with travel and also of a modern connection with the home. Emma uses the road as a means to represent both sides of her character. Emma brings feminist values of power, independence, and gender equality to both her travels and to her home. In conclusion, Emma serves as a traveler of the public sphere, a protector of the private sphere, and a powerful figure in both areas of society.
