A Streetcar Named Desire

NickiM

It's one of the first things we looked at...secondary text was like the music, settings, lights, actions (I think). I could look it up if you like :smile:

Like Tennessee Williams' stage directions, notes, side notes and cultural contexts, oui?

Yes!

OP

Elements

Like Tennessee Williams' stage directions, notes, side notes and cultural contexts, oui?

Oooh i feel i may mention this idea in my next lesson and earn the respect and love of my peers and tutors :p:

x

Reply 44

LadyEnglish

Oooh i feel i may mention this idea in my next lesson and earn the respect and love of my peers and tutors :p:

x

Hehe- as long as you could be asked to elaborate on these then go for it! :p:

Reply 45

NickiM

14

Well....I can dig my notes out if you want something to use for elaboration?

Reply 46

s hemmy

7

this is such a fantastic play. i love tennessee williams. definitely recommend the movie with marlon brando and vivien leigh.
the main reason why blanche doesn't like the light is because it reveals how old she is (wrinkles etc.). she's extremely fragile and very sensitive about her age. this has probably already been mentioned.

Reply 47

s hemmy

this is such a fantastic play. i love tennessee williams. definitely recommend the movie with marlon brando and vivien leigh.
the main reason why blanche doesn't like the light is because it reveals how old she is (wrinkles etc.). she's extremely fragile and very sensitive about her age. this has probably already been mentioned.

Also because the light represents the truth and Blanche prefers to hide away from this as she is very idealistic and prefers to hide and live in her own idiosyncrasys and old fashioned Southern beliefs, mannerisms and lifestyle. Blanche also doesn't like the light as shown from the point when she is compared to as a moth (scene 1 I think)- moths having fragile fatalities with getting too close to lights. This moth-likeness ties in with both issues of the truth such as in light with reality and practicality, as well as her sensitivity over her age and how delicate and dainty she is. Be aware that acknowledgements and actions concerning the use of light in the play are crux on this matter too. A few examples of this are Mitch tearing off the paper lantern from the light, exposing the truth of Blanche's age and it's truth that she has hidden from, Blanche's preference for muted light, distaste at standing directly in the light and going out on dates with Mitch only in the evening and at night, and the vivid flashing lights that Blanche witnesses during the rape scene. Stanley on the other hand is an antagonistic protagonist to Blanche as he is exactly the opposite of her, exuberantly and confidently struts and flaunts his power and masculinity in the lime light and goes about to destroy and dispose of Blanche from the word go.

Enough from me, I think, before I kill this thread too. :p:

Reply 48

OP

NickiM

Well....I can dig my notes out if you want something to use for elaboration?

Ooh notes on elaboration would be rather good :p:

If it's no trouble, I always feel mean when people do things for me lol, but if you could i would be veeeery grateful :biggrin:

xxx

Reply 49

OP

Elements

Also because the light represents the truth and Blanche prefers to hide away from this as she is very idealistic and prefers to hide and live in her own idiosyncrasys and old fashioned Southern beliefs, mannerisms and lifestyle. Blanche also doesn't like the light as shown from the point when she is compared to as a moth (scene 1 I think)- moths having fragile fatalities with getting too close to lights. This moth-likeness ties in with both issues of the truth such as in light with reality and practicality, as well as her sensitivity over her age and how delicate and dainty she is. Be aware that acknowledgements and actions concerning the use of light in the play are crux on this matter too. A few examples of this are Mitch tearing off the paper lantern from the light, exposing the truth of Blanche's age and it's truth that she has hidden from, Blanche's preference for muted light, distaste at standing directly in the light and going out on dates with Mitch only in the evening and at night, and the vivid flashing lights that Blanche witnesses during the rape scene. Stanley on the other hand is an antagonistic protagonist to Blanche as he is exactly the opposite of her, exuberantly and confidently struts and flaunts his power and masculinity in the lime light and goes about to destroy and dispose of Blanche from the word go.

Enough from me, I think, before I kill this thread too. :p:

*Stealing* :ninja:

lol, wooow good points on Blanche and Stanley, very helpful since I am writing an essay on them atm :p:

Wow I bet you got like an A in your exam lol with that kind of analysis in your noggen :p:

(Soz, havn't used 'noggen' in a while, felt appropriate :biggrin:

) I hadn't realised there was so much emphasis on symbolic use of light :eek:

You have enlightened me :wink:

xxx

Reply 50

Socrates

17

LadyEnglish

haha lol yes it's a thin line when it comes to opinions on stanley and women :p:

x

I said Blanche was asking to be raped, and that didn't go down well at all with my female friends (80% of the class). Oops.

Reply 51

OP

Socrates

I said Blanche was asking to be raped, and that didn't go down well at all with my female friends (80% of the class). Oops.

Ooooooooh I can imagine lol, bad time to think out loud :p:

Although I'd be inclined to agree slightly, with the constant flirting, teasing, she was asking for something to happen.

Reply 52

Xrypto

6

LadyEnglish

Ooooooooh I can imagine lol, bad time to think out loud :p:

Although I'd be inclined to agree slightly, with the constant flirting, teasing, she was asking for something to happen.

I can see what you mean, I do agree she wanted it to happen.

Reply 53

Well I don't agree that she wanted it to happen or was asking for it at all. *Stands up for Blanche*. :security:

Reply 54

Now now, stealing is wrong. :s:

*Gets worried*. :redface:

What does noggen mean? :redface:

It sounds good! :p:

Yes, light is huge symbolically. Glad to have enlightened you. :biggrin:

Yes I did get an A in that paper btw- well I did Edexcel Eng Lit and Streetcar and Edexcel Poetry Anthology questions were on the same paper to be done together. Almost got 100% too! :wink:

It's really cool that you've started up this thread. I would've loved to hear and talk about this to nice ppl that did the same things. :smile:

Reply 55

NickiM

14

Also, with Blanche and the light, she is often referred to as a moth, and moths get 'killed' by the light. (Whoops, already been said)

LadyEnglish - I'll have a look, and type some stuff up, but I don't have much as only did 2 months of A2 English Lit!

Reply 56

NickiM

14

Right, here is some random stuff which might help with Streetcar. This might not be any help at all, so you may just ignore it!

Lady English - hope you can elaborate from here, bear in mind I don't have the text anymore, so can't look up things for you.

1. Look at scene endings, they always gives clues on the atmosphere/what could happen next/pointers on what a character is like.

e.g end of scene 1:
"Blanche: The boy - the boy died. (She sinks back down). I'm afraid I'm - going to be sick!

Her head falls on her arms"
- Very dramatic
- "sinks", "falls" as well as describing her action on stage describes her confidence, highlights how fragile she is
- Foreshadows a dramatic, traumatic event
- Shows how much Stanley breaks Blanche down
- Focuses on Blanche's vulnerability and her past
- Repetition shows how she is unsure

2. About Scene 5, I have notes on how 'a threatening undertone throughout the scene is created through the primary and secondary text':
- "A disturbance is heard upstairs at the Hubbels' appartment" (secondary)
- Stanley's actions and how Blanche reacts
- Weather: 'murmur of thunder', glimmer of lightning. Storm shows tension (secondary)
- How actions are performed (secondary), ie. 'clutches, grabs
- Words such as kill, daemonic, note of fear, panic

3. Themes within Streetcar:
- Blanche vs Stanley
- Feelings vs physical e.g when Stanley snatches (physical) love letters (memories), moments after Blanche meets Stanley, he bulldozes through her feelings and asks about what happened with her lover
- Feminine vs masculine e.g movements, poker game, language, clothes (pyjamas - masc., slip - feminine)
- Past vs future - Husband, Belle Reve, Shep Huntleigh, Napoleonic code, language e.g Stella Star
- Superficiality vs reality - Blanche: lies about age, romanticises about the past, furs/jewellery, judgement of others, Stanley: direct, dismisses superficiality, Napaleonic code

4. Secondary text can be the following (and more too, have a huge sheet on it), whilst primary text is the characters' dialogue
- Lighting: focus, mood, gives structure, gives time perspective, shows climax, has a visual impact, shows special effects, shows culture, status and era
- Props: Show a character, can be symbolic ie. masks, are functional, show class/status and are visual signals
- Costume: Look at colour, texture, visual impact, theme, era
- Sound: Can show mood change, give an atmosphere, show era, weather (there is a word for weather reflecting the mood of the scene, I used it in Jane Eyre, will find it)
- Character: Look at mannerisms, acting style, reaction to others, use of space, voice, stance, text - meaning, facial expression

I have a few more notes if people would like them, but hope they are useful for someone

Reply 57

OP

Elements

Now now, stealing is wrong. :s:

*Gets worried*. :redface:

What does noggen mean? :redface:

It sounds good! :p:

Yes, light is huge symbolically. Glad to have enlightened you. :biggrin:

Yes I did get an A in that paper btw- well I did Edexcel Eng Lit and Streetcar and Edexcel Poetry Anthology questions were on the same paper to be done together. Almost got 100% too! :wink:

It's really cool that you've started up this thread. I would've loved to hear and talk about this to nice ppl that did the same things. :smile:

Noggen means head :biggrin:

hehe funny word :p:

Yeah it's been v helpful talking to other people about Streetcar, I'm in a really quiet class at college so no one ever talks :p:

x

Reply 58

OP