As I launched into Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire for the second time, a shade of reluctance followed as I remembered it not being one of my preferences, in 11th grade English. However, blinding this with a bit of optimism, quite a few of my original opinions on the play soon spaced out as the pages turned through the first two scenes. For one, I took notice in how at the very beginning of the play, the New Orleans setting and the small dialogue between Stella and Stanley gives a jubilant tone to the book, as the couple seem happy going bowling together. Yet the minute Blanche Dubois is introduced, my whole impression of the New Orleans scenery is given another angle, as Blanche’s manner gives the Kowalski residence a cluttered, almost disgusting description, comparing it to horror poet, Edgar Allen Poe on page 20. Poe’s poem The Raven describes, an “ebony bird” in a gruesome situation but still remains, which I couldn’t help but run this parallel to Blanche’s attitude and acceptance of her sister’s room.
As her pestering behavior continued to grasp my attention, Blanche’s character in these scenes also made me realize that she most likely will be the center of whatever conflict this novel has in store. Like on page 26, she begins to attack her sister with guilt on abandonment of their home in Mississippi. (Belle Reve) This was conceivably my favorite part of the first two scenes because in humor, it reminded me of the song Put the Blame on Me- by Akon. I have no idea why, but perhaps due to the New Orleans setting’s famous link to my style music, notably Lil Wayne and Akon. Nevertheless as this guilt trip seems to corner Stella, another detail this book notified me with was that Stanley foils Blanche completely. Stanley’s rough, unsophisticated, yet sharp behavior is exactly the opposite of what I make of Blanche this early in the play. Generally, if I had not already read the book, I would be inclined to make a prediction that Blanche eventually falls for Stanley by the end, since everyone knows, opposites attract. I also enjoyed Stanley’s reference to the Napoleonic Code, a premature Marxist idea that everything that belongs to the wife also becomes the burden of the husband, including the little conflicts Blanche has dragged with her to New Orleans.. It showed me he is a man that is always on the lookout for conmen or fake people and is not likely to get dragged into whatever Blanche is hiding. However, this early in the play I still question who exactly is the protagonist, as well as the antagonist of this play, as Williams fails to make that clear this early on. Also I can’t seem to obtain any legitimacy on this young boy Blanche seems to talk about having once loved. Was she truly married?
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Fred, unlike you I was not given the opportunity to read A Streetcar Named Desire in 11th grade. I had heard much about the play as well as the movie but I never even picked up a copy to read the blurb. Also unlike you, my first impression has so far been a very good one. I have really enjoyed what I have read so far and I am glad to hear you are enjoying it more your second time reading through it. I do like the way you describe the setting and the dialogue between Stanley and Stella that gave a “jubilant tone to the book”. That is something I slightly overlooked while reading, especially when it came to the setting. As important as the setting is in play, it is not something I generally pay much attention to and I certainly will now that you have opened my eyes up to it. Now you and I also have similar feelings towards Stella’s sister Blanche. I too can foresee how she will be a main focus of whatever conflict there is to come in this play. I may even consider Blanche as a cancer to both Stella and Stanley, and she is clearly going to be a detriment to their relationship (which as of now is pretty stable).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not familiar with the song Put the Blame on Me, I do see the humor as well as the drama that has come along with the scene where Blanche throws a guilt trip upon her sister. The way that Blanche broke the news to Stella about how she sold Belle Reve was very unfair and hurtful to Stella, and I’m sure Belle Reve will become an important theme later in the play as well. Now in response to your feelings as to how different Stanley and Blanche are, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Yet, despite the immense differences between them, I can certainly see a possible soft spot in both of their hearts and maybe an impending relationship between them is to come. All I know is, I have so far very much enjoyed this play and I appreciate the insight you have brought to me from this post.
Josh Lowe
Fred, unlike you I was not given the opportunity to read A Streetcar Named Desire in 11th grade. I had heard much about the play as well as the movie but I never even picked up a copy to read the blurb. Also unlike you, my first impression has so far been a very good one. I have really enjoyed what I have read so far and I am glad to hear you are enjoying it more your second time reading through it. I do like the way you describe the setting and the dialogue between Stanley and Stella that gave a “jubilant tone to the book”. That is something I slightly overlooked while reading, especially when it came to the setting. As important as the setting is in play, it is not something I generally pay much attention to and I certainly will now that you have opened my eyes up to it. Now you and I also have similar feelings towards Stella’s sister Blanche. I too can foresee how she will be a main focus of whatever conflict there is to come in this play. I may even consider Blanche as a cancer to both Stella and Stanley, and she is clearly going to be a detriment to their relationship (which as of now is pretty stable).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not familiar with the song Put the Blame on Me, I do see the humor as well as the drama that has come along with the scene where Blanche throws a guilt trip upon her sister. The way that Blanche broke the news to Stella about how she sold Belle Reve was very unfair and hurtful to Stella, and I’m sure Belle Reve will become an important theme later in the play as well. Now in response to your feelings as to how different Stanley and Blanche are, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Yet, despite the immense differences between them, I can certainly see a possible soft spot in both of their hearts and maybe an impending relationship between them is to come. All I know is, I have so far very much enjoyed this play and I appreciate the insight you have brought to me from this post.
Josh Lowe
PS- "Journal" is spelt wrong, lol.
I'm not exactly sure just how far you've read into Blanche's past life, but to clear up your question: Yes, she was really married, and it was at a young age.
ReplyDeleteBlanche was married once, and she loved him very much (this becomes very apparent when you begin realize she keeps dwelling on her past with him (i.e.; that ever present polka music in her head.))
Her husband's name was Allen Grey, and he committed suicide. It was mentioned in the play that Blanche had kept quiet throughout the day after she caught her husband having sex with a man. Later that evening, the three of them (Allen, Blanche, and Allen's secret affair lover) went out dancing. However, when Blanche decided to express to her husband that she was disgusted with him, it was in the middle of the Varsouviana Polka. Consequently, Allen fled and it was later discovered that he had placed a pisol in his mouth and fired it, thus killing himself. It left Blanche in a devastated and heartbroken state that would continue to haunt her for the rest of her life (or as far as we can tell- from the beginning of the play until the very end.) Take note that every time she seems to be having one of her "insane" fits, she hears the Varsouviana Polka music in her head.
In my opinion, I think this is the climax in Blanche's life (not the climax of the play itself), and her husband's suicide clearly changed her into the character that is displayed for us when she first enters the scene in New Orleans- desperate, broken, empty, and vying for attention.