In The Auction, the journey toward reclaiming bodily autonomy is depicted as a gradual process of unlearning and active negotiation. For Imogen, who has been conditioned since childhood to view her body as an entity to be controlled by others, agency is not achieved through physical freedom alone. Instead, the narrative argues that true autonomy emerges gradually through testing boundaries, questioning repressive lessons, and ultimately initiating her own physical and sexual choices. This process requires her to move from a state of dissociated obedience to one of authentic, articulate desire.

Initially, Imogen has conditioned herself to endure terrifying and degrading experiences by dissociating; for example, she recites a nursery rhyme ”One, two, buckle my shoe” (5) to inwardly calm herself just before the auction. The rhyme’s association with childhood hints that Imogen maintains a veneer of control by remaining in a repressed, childlike state. This defense mechanism is a product of years of training under her governess, Larissa, who taught her that while others may defile her body, they can never take her spirit. This mindset allows her to remain outwardly stoic, even when a guard licks her face, but it reinforces the idea that her body is not her own to control or protect. Her survival has depended on her ability to separate her inner self from her physical form, a deep schism she must eventually heal to become whole.

Imogen’s path to autonomy begins with small, deliberate acts of rebellion against her captor, Lincoln Knight. These acts serve to test the boundaries of her new environment and assert control over her body in minor but significant ways. After Lincoln establishes a “no panties” rule, Imogen consciously decides to defy it. This choice is an intentional provocation, a way to elicit a reaction and challenge his authority over her person. She reflects, “Is this what rebellion feels like? If it is, I think I like it” (202). This moment is a critical shift from passive acceptance of her circumstances to active opposition. By consciously breaking a rule governing her own body, she begins to reclaim the power to make her own choices, regardless of the potential consequences. She also does so with a sense of play, partially hoping to provoke a “punishment” from Lincoln.

This reclamation culminates in Imogen’s transition to an active agent in her sexual relationship with Lincoln. Having been taught by Larissa that female pleasure is a weakness and an “unnecessary distraction” (100), she initially struggles with her burgeoning desires. However, she eventually moves past this conditioning by initiating a sexual encounter with Lincoln. She goes to his room and explicitly tells him what she wants, transforming herself from an object of his perceived desire into the subject of her own. By articulating her fantasies and initiating physical intimacy, Imogen directly contradicts her suppressive training and claims ownership over her sexuality. This act represents the final and most important step in her journey, demonstrating that true bodily autonomy is found not just in defiance, but in the confident pursuit of personal desire.