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does tennese w take sides in streetcar between stanley and blanche

footballhead

4

ne ideas for this essay?

thanks!

Reply 1

Mrs Rickman

2

No, imo anyway.

Whilst Stella faces a constant battle of whose side to take, TW does not make his own views explicit in the play. Nor does he present any character as simply 'good' or 'bad'.

He hints that it is Blanche's own actions that cause her eventual downfall (stemming back to Allan), with Stanley being more of a trigger than a cause. Yet he knew a Stanley Kowalski in real life who he erm admired, and Blanche is partially based on his sister Rose, so to 'take sides' with either wouldn't really make sense.

Stanley and Blanche represent the two Americas. It is Stanley, the vibrant, 'primitive' blue collar worker who will be the way forward for America in the future, and so whilst TW appreciates this, and hence he doesn't portray Stanley as all bad, he does not think that this is without loss - the loss of Blanche; of art, poetry and literature which has no place in Stanley's America.

Reply 2

Annik

2

in my opinion, he sides more to blanche..altho she only has herself to blame!
I think we are made to sympathise with blanche at the end of the novel, and we despise stanley who returns to his normal life like nothing has happened!

Reply 3

happydinosaur

15

Consider the ways in which the characters represent parts of Williams' own life too..

Reply 4

naystar

2

Although do be careful with referring to Williams's life too much- the past two or three examiners' reports have all mentioned that candidates discuss at inordinate length Tennessee Willisms's private life, when they aren't actually required to in the syllabus. If you're doing Edexcel, AO5 isn't included for 'A Streetcar Named Desire', and although an extra adjective may enhance your essay up a band, you don't have to go to any length describing any context, and in fact it may take away from your capacity to write more, as you will spend your time writing about context when it isn't needed.

Reply 5

SB

2

Annik

in my opinion, he sides more to blanche..altho she only has herself to blame!
I think we are made to sympathise with blanche at the end of the novel, and we despise stanley who returns to his normal life like nothing has happened!

It is never clear whether Stanley actually rapes Blanche or whether it is a figment of her imagination, this makes the portrayal of Stanley fundamentally ambivalent. If he did rape her, we are expected to feel horror, sympathy for Blanche and disgust at Stanley's actions. However, there are indications that he is beginning to warm to her in the final scene - guilt or genuine emotion?

It is possible that nothing has happened, and that Stella requires him to be a strong figure and support her. In that case, he is doing his best to be a good father and husband.

So I'd spend a good deal of time exploring the scene which the rape could have taken place after, also the final scene and the relationship between them.

Also explore the possibility that Stanley traumatises her in everyones best interests (controversial I know) as she is pulling their family apart.

Finally, address Stanley's position as a man of the house and Blanche's rudeness/intrusion. Mention her state of mind but this cannot fully absolve her.

PM me if I can help in any other way,
skevvybritt x

Reply 6

Annik

2

if it didnt happen, then TW would have commented on this..
if things are usually part of blanches mind, TW would hav made this obvious.. eg, when he writes "the music is in her head"

Reply 7

SB

2

Annik

if it didnt happen, then TW would have commented on this..
if things are usually part of blanches mind, TW would hav made this obvious.. eg, when he writes "the music is in her head"

I assume this is addressed to me?
It is off stage so Williams doesn't necessarily need to make this obvious in order for the actors to give a convincing performance, unlike in your example when it's important to the actor playing Blanche to know that she is hearing something noone else is hearing, and for all the other characters on stage not to react to it. Also, her state of mind at the time is very very unstable.
Because of this, I would still argue for ambiguity (even though as a modern audience our perception of it is skewed).
The very fact that you feel the need to debate it suggests that there is ambiguity. Sorry (although my perception is that it did happen :redface:

).

Reply 8

Annik

2

skevvybritt

I assume this is addressed to me?
It is off stage so Williams doesn't necessarily need to make this obvious in order for the actors to give a convincing performance, unlike in your example when it's important to the actor playing Blanche to know that she is hearing something noone else is hearing, and for all the other characters on stage not to react to it. Also, her state of mind at the time is very very unstable.
Because of this, I would still argue for ambiguity (even though as a modern audience our perception of it is skewed).
The very fact that you feel the need to debate it suggests that there is ambiguity. Sorry (although my perception is that it did happen :redface:

).

stanley approaching to rape blanche is on stage..it is logical that he did rape her therefore

Reply 9

happydinosaur

15

naystar

Although do be careful with referring to Williams's life too much- the past two or three examiners' reports have all mentioned that candidates discuss at inordinate length Tennessee Willisms's private life, when they aren't actually required to in the syllabus. If you're doing Edexcel, AO5 isn't included for 'A Streetcar Named Desire', and although an extra adjective may enhance your essay up a band, you don't have to go to any length describing any context, and in fact it may take away from your capacity to write more, as you will spend your time writing about context when it isn't needed.

Ofcoure!! There is no point in writing an indepth biography of his life because that doesn't answer the question, I just feel it add depth to the arguement. Also context can be used as interpretation!! In this question about taking sides some context of how the characters represent his life can be used as an interpretation.

Reply 10

SB

2

Annik

stanley approaching to rape blanche is on stage..it is logical that he did rape her therefore

As you may have noticed, logic isn't one of Blanches strong points.
How do you know it's to rape her? He could be going to hit her, throw her out, anything. I agree that he probably did, but in a decent essay you should all possibilities.
As Keats said, good literature leaves you "capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason". Uncertainty is the best thing about literature.

Reply 11

Mrs Rickman

2

There is the possibility that it was consensual. Blanche 'backs into the bedroom' and Stanly 'carries her inert figure' - if she didn't want to have sex with him she would have struggled more, arguably. Besides, there was no way 50s American theatre would have allowed such a scene to be acted on stage so TW didn't actually have much choice, although i think the ambiguity is deliberate on his part. Although for this essay title, i don't think this argument needs to be discussed at great lengh.

As for his own life, i agree that knowledge of his sister Rose (who was sectioned) etc may aid your interpretation of events but this is A05/A04 area, and since the leading objective is A03, i think it might be better to primarily focus on the play itself.

does tennese w take sides in streetcar between stanley and blanche

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