Driving Miss Daisy -- by Alfred Uhry (1988)

Description
**Disclaimer: I read this almost 3 months ago, so this post will be much less "fresh" than the others**

Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play is perhaps better known for its film's success. The movie starred Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, and Dan Akroyd. The original Off-Broadway production also included Freeman, but the other main roles were played by Dana Ivey and Ray Gill. The Broadway production mounted in 2010 starred James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave, and Boyd Gaines. Angela Lansbury would play the main female role in an Australian tour with the remainder of the Broadway cast. This version is available to view via PBS-- it is on my summer watchlist.

Driving Miss Daisy is the first in Uhry's "Atlanta Trilogy." The other dramatic works include the Tony Award-winning The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Jason Robert Brown's Parade.

The play takes place in Atlanta, Georgia during the year 1948. It consists of 3 key figures: Daisy, a widow; Hoke, her chauffeur; and Boolie, Daisy's son. At the start of the play, Daisy gets herself into a car accident which propels her son to find someone who could help be her driver. She is a 72-year-old Jewish widow. Her son arranges for Hoke Coleburn, a 60-year-old black man, to be her driver. Uhry focuses the play on their relationship. The audience witnesses their affectionate relationship slowly develop as Daisy sheds away her hard exterior and as Hoke provides consistent support. Ultimately, the comedy tugs at heart strings as Daisy reveals her true feelings about Hoke on her deathbed.

Candid Reactions

• Uhry's reflects upon the massive success of his work and states, "I wrote what I knew to be the truth and people have recognized it as such. And I have been remarkably lucky." This quote seems to capture what most writers seem to say about the "formula" for creating commercial successes. 
• I wonder how many of the Pulitzer Prize-winners are 1-act plays? This is Google-able. 
• The comedic tone is set from the start. We could easily cringe at Daisy's crash, but Boolie allows us to accept the comedy of the play by remarking, "Mama, cars don't behave. They are behaved upon. The fact is you, all by yourself, demolished that Packard" (2). Not only do we get to laugh, but Uhry gets to introduce the themes of control and influence. 
• Classic quip from Daisy, " . . . unless they rewrote the Constitution and didn't tell me, I still have my rights" (4). Uhry emphasizes Daisy's yearning for independence from the start. 
• Of course she's a back-seat driver!
• Boolie can be insensitive. 
• There is a strong fear of abandonment. My favorite part of the entire play is when Daisy admits her honest fear that Hoke has abandoned her. 
• Hoke provides strong commentary on race, when speaking to Daisy: "Jes' like light or dark we all the same n*****" (44). 
• Uhry continues to thread in bold statements regarding race relations: "Things changin', but they ain't change all dat much" (52). 
• Wow, Hoke is being really rude to Daisy! 
• And there is Daisy's time-stopping statement. 
• How wonderful for Boolie to be driving Hoke at the end. 
• Daisy is fiery until the end!
• The exchange between Daisy and Hoke at the end is incredibly effective in its simplistic dialogue. In such a little amount of words, major messages and developments are made. 
• Uhry is genius to have Hoke feed Daisy at the end. The thematic messages to be dissected from that action are countless. 

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning
1. Race Relations
The play both directly and indirectly comments on race relations. The comedy challenges the audience to consider how people should treat each other. In several ways, the messages from the play are akin to the messages from To Kill a Mockingbird or The Help.

2. Aging
Many actors and actresses lament the lack of writing for the aged actor/actress. Most plays do not center on old people who deal with the challenges of aging. Off the top of my head, I can think of two other plays that tackle the trials of aging: Three Tall Women and The Gin Game. What I most admire about Driving Miss Daisy is Uhry's ability to address the tension between dependence and independence humans feel as they age. Obviously, the stakes are raised even higher for Daisy and Hoke due to their racial and social backgrounds. Uhry uses forces outside of the protagonists control to enhance the conflict and plot.

Classroom Implications
I think students could really enjoy this text, especially in the underclassmen years of high school. It could be paired easily with To Kill a Mockingbird. I would focus on theme and character development.

Personal Takeaway
I guess I don't love all feel-good dramas. Sorry :/

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 7.25
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity (1.5)	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points (1.25)	Devices somewhat enhance story (1.5)	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work (1.25)
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (1.75)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping!	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically