The title, "A Streetcar Named Desire," is what this play was all about. A streetcar brought Blanche to the home of her sister Stella and her sisters husband Stanley, and the main theme of the play was about desire. Desire is what caused Blanche to be driven out of her hometown, and it describes the relationship between Stella and Stanley. Fantasy, loneliness, and cruelty were also themes that I saw present in the play.
Fantasy was Blanches primary means of self defense. She seems to tell things how they should be, but not how they really are. In scene ten, Blanche tries to convince Stanley that she is going away with a rich man that she used to know. Blanche: "I received a telegram from an old admirer of mine." Stanley: "Anything good?" Blanche: "I think so. An invitation." Stanley: "What to? A Fireman's ball?" Blanche: "A cruise of the Caribbean on a yacht." I think that she tells stories like this because it is a way for her to block out her memories of sorrow. She went through so much in her hometown, and I believe that when her husband shot himself it really traumatized her. I wonder what Blanche found out about her first husband to make him want to shoot himself? In the end, Blanche's fantasy was shattered by Stanley, and I think that was the reason for me not liking him. In the end, I was hoping that Blanche, Stella, and the baby would move away together, leaving the drunken, violent, and rapist Stanley behind.
Loneliness was a characteristic of Blanche. Throughout the play she seeked companionship and protection, and never recovered from her first husbands death. When Blanche first met Mitch, I thought to myself, "maybe he'll make her loneliness go away." I think Blanche could have been so happy with Mitch, but Stanley destroyed their relationship. Maybe Mitch could have been the one to take her away from her fantasies, bringing her back to reality.
Cruelty was a characteristic of Stanley. He's also controlling and doesn't have much self control. In scene five Stella and Stanley get into a big fight over a radio playing, "She turns the knob on the radio and it begins to play. Blanche waltzes to the music with romantic gestures. Mitch is delighted and moves in awkward imitation like a dancing bear. Stanley stalks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom. He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out the window." Then an argument develops and Stella and blanche end up going upstairs to Eunice. Stanley acts like this often, and this fight was over a little radio playing.
I couldn't believe the ending. Stanley actually rapes Blanche. After all Blanche has been through he still forces himself on her, and it must have been obvious to Stanley that she was mentaly ill. Worst of all, Blanche's own sister took Stanleys side over hers. In scene eleven Stella says, "I don't know if I did the right thing." Then, "I couldn't believe her story and go on living with Stanley." It seems to me that she believes her sister, but is not ready to leave Stanley because of their new baby. I couldn't believe that she made that choice. If it was consentual sex between Blanche and Stanley maybe I could see Stella forgiving Stanley, but he forced himself on Blanche and raped her. I don't understand how Stella could forgive him for that. Why would she want to be married to a rapist? I wouldn't even be able to look at that person anymore. Stella makes the decision that Blanche should be taken away by a doctor, and I think that was the right choice. But I think Stella should have taken her baby and leave with Blanche.
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4 comments:
When I first began reading this play, I wasn't sure where desire fit in. But I agree, Blanche was full of desire. She had desire towards her sister. Blanche wanted the best for her sister. She wanted to make sure Stella was well taken care of and that she was happy.
Blanche had other desires as well. She had a desire to fill the void left by the death of her young husband. Her promiscuity was an attempt to find love again, but she never did. Blanche also had a desire for attention, which goes along with her many partners. When she is first introduced to Stanley's friends, she expects them to divert their full attention to her. Blanche also shows her desire for young men, as she goes after the paper boy.
Stanley also showed some desire. He had a desire to control his wife and he does a good job of it. I think the only character that lacks desire is Stella. She is easygoing and just wants to make her husband happy. Stella doesn't really show much emotion towards anyone. When Stanley begins to rifle through Blanche's trunk, Stella tries to stop him, not because it was the right thing to do, but because she wanted to avoid trama with Blanche. Stella doesn't want any conflict in her life, and I think she does all she can to avoid it.
Blanche was definitely a very lonely character. She had nowhere else to turn and at this point had become desperate for companionship. Blanche even tried to seduce Mitch whom was far below her social status. Mitch seemed like a very good guy but at the same time was not someone that she would be interested in. When she began to approach Mitch I thought that she may have been coming to her senses, and would be reducing herself to the social class that she had really become. If this were the case she may have been able to live happily, and could clear up all the lies she had told. Instead she continues to tell lies and it eventually backfires on her. She can no longer deny all of the things she has done in the past, and Mitch tells her exactly what he thinks. Mitch said "You are not clean enough to bring in the house with my mother.” I think this was eye opening for Blanche. She now understood that everything in her life had changed, and even New Orleans wouldn’t accept her for what she had turned into.
I really agree with you about the title. First off this sister Blanche shows up lost in a place that is up to date and she's stuck in time. She arrives to find her younger sister in love with a man who hits her sometimes and treats her bad. Blanche doesn't know what to think of this because of how she was brought up. I also think though with what you say about desire is true. Desire shows up with Blanche and the paperboy, Blanche and Mitch, Stella and Stanley, even Eunice and her husband. I mean there is desire everywhere and just showing up here makes her realize how bad of life she has and what she lost when her husband left her.
I have to say that the desire that Stanley and Stella have for each other is something so beautiful compared to the relationship that Blanche had with her her young husband and the relationship she had with one of her students.
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