Two- After reading more of the play, I have realized that Blanche is in New Orleans only to help herself, not her sister. Also, I think that my initial understanding was correct when I thought that Blanche held herself in a higher esteem than everybody else. I have discovered that she is a huge liar, and I think that this is because she thinks that other people are too "simple" or "common", so she tells them whatever she wants. When she wrote to Shep Huntleigh and told him that she was flying to all sorts of places during the summer, she made it seem as if it would be an honor for her to go and visit him in Dallas. She later admits to trying to deceive Mitch. All this lying cannot possibly end up doing any good.
Why did Blanche kiss the kid who was collecting money from the newspaper? When she told Stella that there were rumors about her in Laurel, they all probably tell some story of promiscuity. She kisses a random kid and then tells him to leave before she gets carried away. Then she tells Mitch to bow to her. How old is Blanche, anyway? I guess she's old enough to be an alcoholic.
Three- After finishing the story, I thought back to my predictions in my second entry. I was spot on when I addressed the rumors about Blanche's past. When I read that she was kicked out of the school because of misconduct with a student, I understood exactly why she shooed away the newspaper boy. When I heard the story about the sailors and the random men she picked up, I realized that promiscuous was an understatement; she was a borderline prostitute, which isn't surprising due to her love of money. When she tried to call Shep again and sent a telegram, she asked for money. All after making up a fantastic story about some other rich guy that she met.
I was surprised that Stella called a doctor to come take Blanche away. I didn't realize that Blanche was actually crazy, I just thought that she had told so many lies that she couldn't help herself anymore, that she was caught in one big lie. I think the most powerful line in the play was on the last page when Blanche says, "Whoever you are--I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." I think that revealed everything about Blanche's character. She was so damaged by the suicide of her first "love" that she went anywhere she could imagine to get the attention that she needed, whether it was from sailors near her home, or random men, or even someone like Mitch. I thought that she was telling these morbid (as Stella called them) stories to deceive people into liking her or feeling sorry for her, but in fact, she was exposing how she really felt. The people around her may not have understood her, just as I didn't fully understand her, and that ultimately led to her losing control.
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I got the same feeling from the kiss with the paper boy.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think the "I always depended on the kindness of strangers" is bull. If she depended on their kindness, there would be no need for her to lie to them. If she truly believed that they were so kind, she could tell them the truth about her life and not worry about what they would say. None of the issues that grew from the story wouldn't have happened because when she came to live with Stella, she would have said everything straight out, and there wouldn't be any of the sneaking around by Stanley trying to destroy her character.
You are absolutely right about how Blanche holds herself in higher esteem than everybody else. Its because of her upbringing Belle Reve that makes her think she's superior to everyone. In both your responses you mentioned Shep Huntleigh. I think that this whole thing Blanche talks about concerning Shep is all a disillusion. This was proven when the doctor was coming she was fixed on the idea that Shep was coming. Shep probably does not even remember her.
ReplyDeleteRegrading your third entry, i completely agree with you. That Blanche was in fact, so emotionally damaged from accidently killing her first love, whom Stella said that she practically worshipped. I liked it how you linked that with all of Blanche's behavior as you put it " borderline prostitute", her looking for love she lost.
ReplyDeleteI think this is kind of harsh on Blanche. One must remember that Blanche is emotionally unstable. She has been through a lot of sadness in her life, and even though she comes off as being selfish, I feel she came to be with family. If you recall, she keeps letting Stella know how she abandoned her years ago. Being left with no family or friends did not help her mental illness. Even though I do not justify her choices, I really think she came in search of happiness. Aren’t we all looking for happiness? Yes, Blanche did all those horrible things, but back then there was no medication to help her cope
ReplyDeleteI never thought of Blanche as being a borderline prostitute, but now that you mention it, I realized that I completely agree! All her stories about those men were all probably fixed up to make her not look as sleazy as she is. Besides, it sounded like that woman had never worked a day in her life and only depended on the "kindness of strangers." How else could she get her money? That's such a funny way to look at Blanche, but I totally see it now. She had some strange erotic love for men, which was especially exposed from her story with her younger student.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Josh and I think that her condescending behavior towards others is very annoying. She shouldn't act like that, especially after she has lost everything and she's now even less than everyone around her because she has nothing and is a nobody. Also her little "incident" with the delivery boy was very interesting and I think it seems to be like she may be schizophrenic.
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