What bothers me the most is that Blanche acts so innocent, when, in fact, she’s a nymphomaniac (a la “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?”). If she was honest from the very start, I’m sure she’d have fewer problems. Maybe Stanley wouldn’t have been on her case…but then again, the play wouldn’t exist if that were the situation. Poor Mitch considered proposing to her, but all of her lies got in the way. I read a lot of your blogs on this play, and it seems like majority of you are against Blanche from the very start. I feel like it’s unfair to her character, and I’d like to explore deeper into what made Blanche turn into the woman we all have been reading about.
If we put ourselves into her shoes for just a moment- how would you deal with life if you found out your husband had sex with another man? Personally, I believe this was the climax in Blanche's life (not in the play), and I believe this is what changed her. Blanche is a delicate character, and she relies on male attention and admiration for her self-esteem. To simply catch her husband, Allen Grey, having intercourse with another man must have been the biggest blow to her ego. She probably blamed herself for him turning gay. She probably thought he didn’t find her attractive or desirable. This is quite possibly the reason that Blanche had an affair with a younger student, or why she had many lovers- to try and convince herself that she was desirable.
The rape scene was a shock to me. My mind couldn’t fully register just how much Stanley wanted to degrade, and destroy Blanche- and I couldn’t believe he would stoop to that level. It was enough that he destroyed her relationship with Mitch, but to rape her…that was absolutely disgusting. Blanche did not deserve that. Something was wrong with her from the very start- she was mentally ill, with hopes of recovering (although some AA meetings might have been in store for her future, no matter what). Stanley raping her probably ruined her the most, and set her into her insanity further. It’s sad that Stella didn’t believe her, and remained with her husband. It’s a very disappointing ending, yet still highly entertaining.
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Rema, I think you're view point of the book is very good, and you have a lot of good ideas about Blanche. i think you're theory on how Blanche got to be how she is was interesting, and most likely true(sadly). I would also like to say that to think of Blanches experience with finding out her husband was gay by walking in on him must have been the climax and immediate reason for her wanting to fight for her ego.
ReplyDeleteBut I also think that just provokes us to wonder why she'd need her ego so big in the first place? I mean obviously everyone wants a big ego, and such great self confidence, but don't you think she took it to another level by going as far as being with a student? I mean, i completely agree with how hurt she must've been, and why it tore up her self confidence, but to me she might have taken it a bit too far by going through all that trouble to get it back.
You have awesome opinions and ideas, most of them I agree with, besides the things about Blanche, but everything else I agree with and felt the exact same way, it even lowered how high i put Stanley up on a pedestal. I thought it was a good thing that he told Stella straight up about Blanche, but going as far as to rape her was just NOT okay!