Sky's journals: Streetcar Named Desire

A Street Car Named desire
Journal #1:
All I knew when I before I started reading this book was that a male figure that fell down to his knees and yelled STELLA!!! So I assumed that Stella was the main character. I was really curious about the title and I liked that sort of mystery. One of the first quotes that caught my eye that mentioned the title was when Blanche said “They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off at—Elysian Fields!” When she said that I realized two things one that she was the main character, two that death and tragedy weren’t far behind, it was foreshowing the story that she had to unfold.
Blanche always has the feeling that she is better then everyone with the clothes that she wears and the way she acts looking down upon where her sister lives. You can see from the start that she is a fallen tragic character. She gets defensive when she says that she has lost Belle Reve and turns it on Stella for leaving and marrying a “Polack” and not staying and helping her save the place. She seems so helpless and confused, and that leads to her alcoholic needs. Also I hate the way the men act barbaric and manly controlling and rude, sport enthusiasts and beer chuggers. I still wonder how Blanche story will unveil.

A Street Car named Desire
Journal #2:
The more I read this book and I feel so bad for Blanche she is such a tragic character with so many problems, and I feel her spiraling down towards insanity. As I find more things out about her it makes sense why she is the way she is. After her young husband dies she feels like the only way to be happy is being with a man. This theme of constant dependence on men to be complete (happy) is why I dislike this book. Blanche can’t find happiness if she not with a man or with someone telling her she’s beautiful. For example the paperboy, how she suicides him and kisses him as a tip. I thought that it showed how much of a low self esteem she had. That’s why with Mitch she teases him and he likes her playfulness and they are both sad lonely people who “need someone” and get along.
Also I hate Stella and Stanley’s relationship he so aggressive and angry controlling. He hits her he throws things and breaks things and she still convinces herself that she loves him and that everything is fine. The women in this book seem so helpless. Why can’t she leave him, why can’t Stella be independent find another person who won’t hit her while she is pregant? This is a perfect example of the constant dependence on men to be happy. When we read a Dolls House I felt so proud of Nora she was strong and independent and broke free from the traditional life of a Woman. I feel the opposite when I read this book I hate the men and women dynamics. I feel like yelling at Stella telling to file a divorce, and marry a man that wont abuse her and a man she won’t be afraid of.

A Street Car Named Desire
Journal # 3:
The last real tragic book I read and truly felt bad for the main character was King Lear that was in 8th grade. I think this tops that, I felt heavy hearted and sad when I read the ending. When Stanley raped Blanche not only did he cheat on his wife he stabbed Blanche last grips on reality he took one of the most important thing to her sexuality and her outer beauty. He lied and cheated on his wife with her sister. He doesn’t get to comfort Stella when the Doctor takes her away to the mental hospital. He doesn’t get to hold a baby in his arms look down and feel any joy. I felt like the Villain won in this book. Unlike in King Lear that virtually everyone in the book died so you comforted yourself with that thought. The family had a happy ending based on lies. When is that ever right?
I hated how depressing this book was how bad it made me feel, which I figure the author really did do a good job if he really made you feel so sad and so much sorrow for the main characters downfall. I loved how I could follow Blanche character through her spiraling fall towards insanity, I could see her signs of insanity when she mentions that Millionaire guy that loves her and someday will see him and be with him. The symbolically she always takes bathes to cleanse herself of all the “things she has done” her past. All the troubles she had added up to her emotional bank that eventually exploded when Stanley raped her and lead to her ultimate downfall.