In the book A Streetcar Named Desire there are a lot of social occasions that bring out who certain characters really are. For example in scene five, a 16 year old paperboy came to the house Blanche was staying at and Blanche started flirting with the young boy and kissed him on the lips. Earlier in the book we found out that Blanche was a teacher and she wasn’t working for the school anymore for some reason. This scene suggests that maybe she was fired from her job as a teacher for maybe having sexual relations with her students. Also throughout the book Blanche often tries to keep the image that she has a whole bunch of friends and has all of this money when really she owns cheap dresses and tiaras, she wears cheap cologne, and she doesn’t …show more content…
have the money to explore the world with the friends she used to have. This suggests that blanche may be a pathological liar because of all of the lies and the fact that at the end of the book she gets taken to a mental hospital. A pathological liar is a person who has a bad habit for lying.
They tend to consistently lie to most of the people they know and strangers for no personal gain. Blanche often tells tales from her personal fantasies rather than reality. For example in the beginning of the book Blanche says the she is taking a "leave of absence" from her job at a school but, later in the book other things she says and does show evidence that she was fired probably for having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Also Blanche tries to appear young to a character in the story named Mitch to try to seduce him into marrying her but covering her face and trying to only be seen in dim lights so he cannot see all of her facial features. But at the same time Blanche is emotionally unstable due to the fact that she feels guilt over her first love killing himself. That is why she tries to have inappropriate relationships with young boys, to rekindle the love she had for her first love. She also pursues inappropriate relationships with under age boys to feel young again and not accept the fact that she is growing old. I believe that Blanche is a woman that is emotionally wrecked, is too caught up in delusions, and can’t distinguish fantasy from …show more content…
reality. The book doesn't really provide much of a back story for Stanley but based on what the reader can tell from his actions is that Stanley is aggressive, dominate, and is very lustful.
Stanley has a unpleasant relationship with Blanche especially towards the end of the book. Stanley feels as if Stella should just stay home all day, cook him food to eat, and take care of him even when company is over. Problems first started with him and Blanche when she first arrived due to her criticizing him. He also feels that Stella's attitude towards him will change due to Blanche's arrival. Blanche also tries to convince Stella to leave him multiple times. Stanley also likes to play poker with his friends and drink while doing it, but that changed after Blanche comes into his life because she tries to get his friends attention and occasionally flirts with Mitch. She turned her music on the radio up so loud while Stanley was trying to concentrate that he threw it out a window and hits his Stella. Whenever they get into a heated fight or argument they always have make-up sex to ease the tensions which is mostly the reason why she stays with him. Now that Blanche is there he can't make-up with her the way he wants to and he want their relationship to go back to normal. Later in the story when Stanley and Blanche are talking they and Stanley starts screaming at Blanche and then takes her to the bedroom to rape
her. Stella is basically in the middle of Stanley and Stella's conflict. It's sort of seem as if they are fighting over who has her. Since they are sisters you would think they would be kind and loyal to each other but it seems not to be the case since at the end of the book she chooses to not believe blanches story of rape and sends Blanche off to a insane asylum. Stella says "I couldn't believe her story and go on living with Stanley". I think this means that Stella is now going in to denial and can't distinguish fantasy from reality as well. In conclusion all 3 of the characters show their true colors during social occasions. Blanche shows that she is living in a fantasy and can't face what is really happening in her life, Stanley shows that her is an aggressive brute that solves his marriages problems threw lustful sex and Stella shows that when something big happens and she can't accept it she creates her own delusions of what really happened by not trusting her sister and sending her off to a mental institution.
Her first problem is with the heroine of the play, Blanche DuBois, who, she claims, is "ironically made guilty for her own victimization. No longer fully human, she is simply a metaphor of all that is vile about women. Blanche cannot, then, claim tragic stature or even our sympathy precisely because she is a victim of rape. And as she becomes responsible for her own victimization, Stanley is left to glory in his ascendancy. This aspect of Streetcar arises from the misogyny which colors the play…" (Lant 226). Admittedly, Blanche does flirt with Stanley briefly at the beginning of the play—just as many women playfully flirt with their brothers-in-law. But as her relationship with Stanley deteriorates, she makes it quite obvious to him that she loathes the sight of him. Though the world in which Lant lives may be one in which a woman, playfully sprinkling her brother-in-law ...
While watching A Streetcar named Desire, the character of Blanche Dubois at first appeared to be a weak self-absorbed southern woman, when really what started coming from her character was a flawed personality. What is not known is whether this is something that runs in the family, or has only shown itself through Blanche. Since this was during a time when mental illness was not yet studied deeply, the way Blanche is treated while succumbing to her illness and how she was sent off to the mental hospital was rather archaic. Blanche is the central character and the movie shows her spiraling down into the abyss of mental illness apparently escalated by the loss of family, her home and the treatment by Stanley.
Stanley’s biggest issue with Stella and Blanche is that they always “undermine” him. He struggles to remain in control and appear as the head of their household as Blanche encourages Stella to stand her ground with Stanley. Stanley hitting and yelling at Stella is him showing dominance and his “masculinity”. Stanley is always trying to portray an image of masculinity and control whether it is directed at Stella or Blanche. But with Blanche constantly insulting him and undermining his authority he has to strive even harder to show dominance. As the story progresses Stanley becomes more frustrated with Stella and becomes aggressive with her in order to appear in control of the situation. Stella: ”…You come out with me while Blanche is getting dressed.” Stanley: ”Since when do you give me orders?” (2.70-1) Once Mitch discovers that Blanche is not the pure woman she made herself out to be, he feels entitled to having the same benefits other men have had with her. When Blanche turns down his advances, he becomes angry with her and tries to force her to have sex with him. Blanche becomes scared and threatens to expose him by opening the window and screaming “fire!” until he runs out of the apartment. Blanche: “...What do you want?” Mitch: “What I been missing all summer.” Blanche: ”Then marry me, Mitch!” Mitch: “I don’t think I want to marry you anymore.” Blanche: ”No?” Mitch: ”You’re not clean enough to bring in the
Stanley oftenly abuses Stella whenever he is drunk. One night, Stanley brings his friends over for a poker night. Mitch leaves the table in order to talk to Blanche. Stanley begins to get furious since Mitch is no longer playing. As more and more interruptions keep occurring, Stanley is furious and breaks the radio Blanche and Mitch were using. Stella then calls Stanley an animal. “He advances and disappears. There is a sound of a blow. Stella cries out.”(57) Stanley is usually abusive when he's either drunk or frustrated. After Stanley strikes her, Stella leaves the house and goes to her neighbors house. Blanche follows her sister upstairs to support Stella so she does not feel alone. Stanley then calms down and calls for Stella to come back. She returns and falls into Stanley's arms. Stella is very loyal to Stanley, she stays with him because he is her husband and does not want to change that. This is why she ignores her sister's pleas. Stanleys actions prove to the reader that he is an abusive husband to Stella and that Stella tolerates
Firstly, the reader may initially feel Blanche is completely responsible or at least somewhat to blame, for what becomes of her. She is very deceitful and behaves in this way throughout the play, particularly to Mitch, saying, ‘Stella is my precious little sister’ and continuously attempting to deceive Stanley, saying she ‘received a telegram from an old admirer of mine’. These are just two examples of Blanches’ trickery and lying ways. In some ways though, the reader will sense that Blanche rather than knowingly being deceitful, actually begins to believe what she says is true, and that she lives in her own dream reality, telling people ‘what ought to be the truth’ probably due to the unforgiving nature of her true life. This will make the reader begin to pity Blanche and consider whether these lies and deceits are just what she uses to comfort and protect herself. Blanche has many romantic delusions which have been plaguing her mind since the death of her husband. Though his death was not entirely her fault, her flirtatious manner is a major contributor to her downfall. She came to New Orleans as she was fired from...
Blanche’s developmental history or character development points to her diagnosis. Blanche comes to New Orleans to stay with her sister Stella after being fired from her job as a schoolteacher due to having an inappropriate affair with a teenage student. When she arrives to see her sister, she is consumed with insecurities regarding her appearance and is condescending to her sister’s humble lifestyle. Stella’s husband Stanley immediately has distrust and dislike for Blanche and treats her
Blanche’s immoral and illogical decisions all stem from her husband's suicide. When a tragedy happens in someone’s life, it shows the person’s true colors. Blanche’s true self was an alcoholic and sex addict, which is displayed when “She rushes about frantically, hiding the bottle in a closet, crouching at the mirror and dabbing her face with cologne and powder” (Williams 122). Although Blanche is an alcoholic, she tries to hide it from others. She is aware of her true self and tries to hide it within illusions. Blanche pretends to be proper and young with her fancy clothes and makeup but is only masking her true, broken self.
...think that the play is about desire between people and the different ways they can express it, which the title, A Streetcar Named Desire, informs us. Blanche came to town on a streetcar because she was ostracized in her old home as a result of her desires. Blanche had a desire for sex in general to cope with her divorce and the loss of her family; she just needed to feel loved. Stanley expressed his hidden desire for Blanche by being cruel to her through the whole story, and then having sex with her. Mitch showed his desire for Blanche by asking her to marry him. Stella had a desire for Stanley’s love and for Blanche’s well being. The play is a display of the drama involved in families, and it shows that sometimes people have to make decisions and choose one relationship over another. In Stella’s case, she chose her relationship with Stanley over her sister.
Throughout Tennessee William’s play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Blanche Dubois exemplified several tragic flaws. She suffered from her haunting past; her inability to overcome; her desire to be someone else; and from the cruel, animalistic treatment she received from Stanley. Sadly, her sister Stella also played a role in her downfall. All of these factors ultimately led to Blanche’s tragic breakdown in the end.
Blanche Dubois proves herself to be mentally unstable throughout the play. She is mentally unstable due to the fact that she is considered a pedofile, lies to extreme measures, and has a lot of strange things going through her head. Blanche was fired from her job because she got caught in an engagement with a teenage boy, who also happened to be one of her students. After that ordeal she still seemed to lure and attract young boys. For example, in the play a delivery boy came through and she could not contain herself around him. “You make my mouth water… Come here. I want to kiss you, just once, softly and sweetly on your mouth.”(Williams p.88). After she kissed the young man it is almost as if she were in a trance and she suddenly woke up from it with, “now run along, now quickly!
...es and thinks that her hopes will not be destroyed. Thirdly, Blanche thinks that strangers are the ones who will rescue her; instead they want her for sex. Fourthly, Blanche believes that the ones who love her are trying to imprison her and make her work like a maid imprisoned by them. Fifthly, Blanche’s superiority in social status was an obscure in her way of having a good social life. Last but not least, Blanche symbolizes the road she chose in life- desire and fantasy- which led her to her final downfall.
Superficial is the first impression that Blanche gives when she enters the play. Consumed by appearance and face value, she is unable to see that Stella’s new lifestyle is not as horrid as she imagines. In comparison to Belle Reve, it is true that these New Orleans slums may not meet Dubois standards, but Blanche is unable to see beyond the way things appear in order to realize that Stella’s world does not revolve around material items. This flaw is intertwined with her vanity and her need keep up appearances. On the surface, Blanche appears to be snobbish and conceited.
Blanche alienates herself from everyone and this leads her to live in her own fantasy world. Living in a fantasy world puts people out of touch with reality and Blanche will not accept her reality of who she really is. In “A Streetcar Named Desire” shows that living in a fantasy world can lead a person to a mental breakdown and to a life of alienation. In not living in the real world a person can become lucid with different issues pushing a person over the edge.
It is understandable as to why she kept her “job” confidential. Not only was it taboo for women to work, but a career such as prostitution is shameful and could have caused her only living family to denounce her. Keeping secrets and creating this alter ego proves her intelligence as well as Blanche’s capabilities; she is not as weak as everyone thinks. This behaviour, though does infringe on Blanche reaching self-actualization as she is not secure with the ideas of her true self and represses those memories. Altogether, Blanche’s behaviour noticeably demonstrates resistance to societal norms depicting that she does not act like a typical lady and showcases her insecurities discouraging her self-actualization.
In 'A Streetcar Named Desire' we focus on three main characters. One of these characters is a lady called Blanche. As the play progresses, we gradually get to know more about Blanche and the type of person she really is in contrast to the type of person that she would like everybody else to think she is. Using four main mediums, symbolism and imagery, Blanche's action when by herself, Blanche's past and her dialogue with others such as Mitch, Stanley and the paperboy, we can draw a number of conclusions about Blanche until the end of Scene Five. Using the fore mentioned mediums we can deter that Blanche is deceptive, egotistical and seductive.