Amy's journal #1,2: A Streetcar Named Desire

journal #1:
I saw a huge box from Barnes and Noble sitting in front of my apartment door. I sighed loudly and thought to myself, “why did I sign up for APLit?” I opened the box reluctantly and saw two very boring books. (A Streetcar Named Desire and Crime and Punishment) I decided to read “A Streetcar Named Desire” first since it’s shorter than the other one. I’ve read many different plays before, and yet I have a great animosity towards plays. So, I thought I would definitely hate this book as well.
Surprisingly, I found this book very interesting. In the book, the character, Blanche Dubois captured my attention. So far, Blanche is depicted as an old woman who is very materialistic and ostentatious. Unlike her sister Stella, Blanche has many beautiful clothes and jewelries. It seems that Blanche is hiding something from Stella and Stanley. She said Belle Reve was lost on a mortgage, however, Stanley became suspicious of her and asked Blanche to show him the papers. Blanche just laughed and treated everything Stanley said as a joke. She was even flirting with him. I wonder what really happened to Belle Reve. Was it really lost on a mortgage? Or did Blanche sold it and bought herself expensive clothes and jewelries?
Additionally, I feel that there is a tension arising between Stanley and Blanche. When Stanley was drunk, he hit Stella while everyone was watching. Blanche was very horrified. The next day, she told Stella she’ll think of a plan to get out of this place. However, Stanley was standing outside listening to their conversations. I wonder what will happen between them. I don’t think the two will ever get along well.
journal#2:
Everything Blanche says is a lie. Even she said it herself that she is a liar. While Blanche was writing a false letter to Shep Huntleigh, she broke into laughter. Stella asked, “what are you laughing at, honey?” “Myself, myself, for being such a liar!” Blanche responded. Then she read the letter out loud. “Most of my sister’s friends haves homes on the Gulf and there has been a continued round of entertainments, teas, cocktails, and luncheons.” (p74) Of course, this was a lie. It seems that Blanche wants to disguise herself as a young, rich woman.
The more she lied about her life; Stanley became more suspicious of Blanche. One day, Stanley asked her if she knows somebody named Shaw. Apparently, Shaw knows who Blanche is and told Stanley that he had seen Blanche at a hotel called the Flamingo. But, again, Blanche lied and said she doesn't know who Shaw is. Blanche does not want to reveal her past. She has too many things she wants to hide from other people. I think Stanley will go around asking people and try to find out the ‘real’ side of Blanche. Maybe, in the end Blanche might tell Stanley and Stella what really happened to Belle Reve, and what she did in her past life.
journal#3:
Blanche is a very odd character. Towards the end, I even felt bad for Blanche. It seems like she is trapped in fantasy, and is unwilling to live in reality. She avoids accepting reality and continues to lie about herself. She tries to hide her age and anything about her past life. She dislikes revealing herself to others. She has a very low self-esteem.
There were many themes in the play. One theme I saw was the dependence on men. Both Blanche and Stella depended on men. In the play, it sounded like men are superior to women and have more power over them. Even when Stanley hit Stella while they were fighting, Stella still chose to live with Stanley. No matter how bad Stanley treated Stella, she said she loves Stanley. In the house, Stanley did whatever he wanted to do. For instance, he brought his friends home to play poker and they all got drunk. Although Stella didn't want his friends to be there, she had no power to kick them out.
In addition, Blanche continued to seek for men. It seemed that she could achieve happiness through men only. For example, she wanted to marry Mitch to achieve her happiness. She was hungry for love and men. Blanche also tried to contact Shep Huntleigh for financial help. She believed only men could help her live with happiness and with money. The play depicted as if women have no power.