Rachel's journal #1: A Streetcar Named Desire

Rachel’s journal #1: Streetcar Named Desire

Before I even started reading this book, I was stricken with flashbacks of the last time I’d read it. So needless to say, I’ve already spoiled the play for myself. But, as far as first impressions go, the one I got from reading the introduction, character list, and back cover was the same as I’d felt before- this play seems to be about the mental development and downfall of Blanche DuBois. This kind of first impression leaves me wondering. Will the opening of the play be straightforward, possibly including some kind of event, or series of events, that illustrate why this character would be so mentally distressed? Or will it be not so obvious, with Blanche in denial of any mental illness, or running away from some kind of occurrence that the play’s plot will evolve around that put Blanche in a compromising state? Personally, being a writer myself, I would expect and be more entertained by the latter.

Now, the character list in the introduction included last names, while the character list at the beginning of the play only mentioned first names, meaning that the play could give the viewer/reader the impression that there was a kind of friendliness, or openness about the characters that gave others permission to call them by their first names. In the introduction’s character list, we can see that there are connections between Stanley and Stella (Mr. and Mrs. Kowalski), and Steve and Eunice (Mr. and Mrs. Hubbell). But unlike most plays, there is no brief description of each character to provide further insight into possible relationships between these characters.

After reading Scenes one and two, the most compelling thing about the play is the obvious state of Mr. Stanley Kowalski toward women. The playwright (Tennessee Williams) included an introduction of Stanley when he enters the room with the two women, Stella (DuBois) Kowalski and Blanche DuBois (sisters). The introduction and explanation of Stanley’s chauvinistic nature is very, VERY accurate. I’ve personally never met a man with such incredibly old world objective pig-headed view toward women, but I imagine that if I did, I’d have about the same reaction as one would if one met the man who killed one’s prized possession, friend, or family member- I’d want to hit them with my car. I believe that the playwright’s depiction of Stanley may in fact be accurate, which makes this play an era-piece, but I can’t see how it could be relatable to current day.

Besides the gut reaction about Stanley, I’m beginning to sense that when Blanche and Stella departed, they were not on good terms, taken by the awkwardness that crept into their conversation when they were reunited. It seems as if Blanche is the kind of frail, shaky woman who prides herself on seeming normal in a crowd, but in reality, is desperate to stand out. She needs that crowd, because when she has people around her, people to pay attention and pamper and love her, she can stop the music in her head from playing so loudly, and keep her mind off the pent up anger, frustration, and insanity she has built up from nursing and burying her dying family members. She puts a lot of blame on Stella, who is too focused on finding her own slice of happiness to care about what happens to people just before they die. Blanche suffers from what seems like post-traumatic-stress disorder, or PTSD, often exhibited by soldiers coming back from war. She thinks of herself as a soldier, looking constantly for a place to reinvent herself, and gain respect, and relocate happiness, as Stella has. She’s oblivious to the fact that her illness and the pain she’s suffered through is following her around, trapped in her own mind, screwing with her because she’s so afraid to let go. She can’t allow herself to feel negative emotions because of her egotistic nature, and because it would force her to be alone, which she can’t be anyway because she dwells on the past. So, when she is alone, or pressured, or stressed, or even asked simple questions, she goes back to the death of her husband, and voila, she’s depressed, vengeful, masochistic, and insane. My analysis of Blanche DuBois after Scenes one and two forces me to think that every scene from here on will be a downward spiral for everyone she’s made a connection with.