Tim's Thoughts on Paula Vogel as a writer

I truly appreciate both of Paula Vogel’s plays. I appreciate literature but have usually tried to stay away from contemporary fiction (you might be confused as to why I am taking this class and I guess I had figured “Why not?”). The classic authors who I have enjoyed such as Hemmingway, Steinbeck, and Frost have written in such pure styles. I feel that there are constant movements in modern writing to be different, as if emulating the storied writers will render your career meaningless. It seems as though all authors are searching for some voice that had been previously unknown.
With all this being said, I have concluded that Paula Vogel, at least among playwrights, has found a “voice” that works in contemporary literature. The fashion in which she tells her stories is unique and moving. For example, the driving metaphors in How I Learned to Drive provide a constant metaphor for the characters while helping the audience advance through the sophisticated story. In The Mineola Twins, Vogel uses complex dream sequences and monologues featuring biblical stories with modern twists to help the audience understand the complexity of her characters. More importantly, her stories and situations are real, as though she has experienced them in her own lifetime. The harsh situations of sexual abuse vividly depicted in How I Learned to Drive show the author’s superb understanding and knowledge of such events.
All in all, I think that Vogel’s style of writing is both entertaining and effective. For me, there is no confusion as to why she is such a successful writer.
tim