I really sympathised with the character of Blanche after reading the play "A Street Car Named Desire". Blanche is really the victim of her fate and the victim of brutal realism represented by Stanley. Her inability to let go of her past makes her suffers a lot.
Blanche has the illusions towards almost everything in life, for example, she hides her real age from Mitch and does not admit that she has a drinking problem. She pretends that she is an old schoolmate who never married. She consistently pushes everything that is the "ugly and not beautiful truth" under the carpet. Yet, these illusions towards life and the inability to see the truth only shows that she is a weak character, who does not have the courage to accept fate and life as it is. She is a pitiful character in some ways or another.
We should not take advantages on people's weaknesses, but people around Blanche such as Stanley always take advantages on her. It is partly her undeniable fault that she is willing to have free sex with strangers, yet, all these men are not willing to take up the responsibilities to take care of her after having sex with her. They treat her as an object which do not worth thier respect and love. All these men only want her body to satisfy their animal desires. They take her for granted. She is merely a victim of men's sexual desire.
In fact, Stanley is the most typical example who takes advantages on Blanche. Though Blanche is not as good as the way she tries to present herself, this does not mean that Stanley can rape her and uses her body to satisfy his animal desires. In fact, Stanley should give Blanche much more respect compared to other men, since Stanley is Blanche's brother-in-law. It is an act of infidelity towards Stella in raping Blanche. Blanche is mistreated by Stanley.
By: Chuah Kar Wooi
134185
B. Ed. (TESL)
Group 21
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After reading Kar Wooi’s blog about Blanche, I do agree with her that she deserves sympathy up to certain point only. Even though she might have an undesired life due to some people cruelty, it is still the life she had chosen for herself.
I do sympathize Blanche for ending up in mental institution, but I do not sympathize her for the unfortunate life. She loses Belle Reave due to her own inability to maintain it. When she knows that she is losing Belle Reave, she should do some beneficial effort in saving it. However, she still insisted on leading a luxurious and snobbery life style. So, to maintain her style of living, she chooses to prostitute herself. Thus, I strongly feel that we should not sympathize her for the unfair treatment and comment she had received from people at Laurel. Although the author had included some element like Blanche’s misfortune of her husband, I still think this should not be an excuse for reader to sympathize Blanche. She is actually in control of her own life and she leads it in the most terrible mannered.
Besides that, I think that Blanche is actually aware of her own bad attitude or lifestyle. From the numbers of times she takes shower in this play, I feel that she seems to be conscious of her own misbehavior. Not only is she trying to make herself physically clean, she could be also trying to clean her past and fault. For example, in the short story – “The chrysanthemum” by John Steinback, the main protagonist also scrubs and washes herself throughout after flirting with a man. It could be the same concept that both the women are trying to clean their mistake.
In conclusion, I do sympathize Blanche to a certain degree. But I really feel that she should be responsible for her own action and not to blame it on the surrounding and circumstances.
By: Tan Jin Hua
After browsing through our friends' blogs, I think this is an interesting one that I shall leave a comment on.
When I first read this play, I did not expect it to have such deep meanings. After Dr. Edwin’s class, then only I realize how difficult and strong it is. I do agree with you that I also sympathize (maybe empathize) her. She is just a girl who longs for love and attention and security. As a female myself, I do understand her need. Maybe men fail to feel for her. So often that most people search for this kind of assurance, just that not all will become a prostitute for it. It is sad, yet I know that all human are born with an empty hole in their hearts which can only be filled with love. Sometimes, when people let us down, we are only left to ourselves.
I really pity Blanche and I do not regard her as an evil person. Have you ever been fearful of tomorrow? Are you afraid that the one whom you love the most would leave you eventually? I think that all human needs love, and this love comes only from God, for He is the only one who does not let us go no matter how bad we perceive ourselves to be. Even though we may have love from our family, friends, boyfriend or girlfriend and etc., all these fade away eventually. Then, we are left alone, and empty.
Thus, I think that Blanche is a strong character whom Shaw has portrayed the human’s inner self so well, and realistic. I am looking forward to a deeper understanding on it as we explore the play further in Dr. Malachi’s lessons.
Blanche "pushes everything that is the 'ugly and not beautiful truth' under the carpet." Yes, I am totally agree with you.Clinging to her past and unpleasant experiences, Blanche lives in her own world of illusion. She does not want to confront the truth and reality.Same like you, I feel symphatize with Blanche too.It is not her fault to continue living in illusion instead. She feels helpless and cries deep inside her heart too. I understand that it is not easy for one to forget the upleasant past or reality, especially when they have been hurt badly. However, if one chooses to cling to it forever, he has to pay the price just like Blanche in this play. We are allowed to grieve on it but not forever clinging on it. If we want to relive our past, the first step we need to do is do not deny it but confront it.The moment we admit its existence, our emotion is being healed slowly. This is what Blanche fails to do so. She keeps her feeling bottled up for a long time.
Besides Blanche, I think Stella, Blanche's sister to a certain extent is same with Blanche too.When Blanche asks her to "get out" from her marrige, she replies that she does not get into anything which she needs to get out from. Here,it shows that she is unwilling to accept the truth that her husband has treated her badly. She pushes away this truth " under the carpet" too. She denies that she is in problem with Stanley.in fact, this is very unhealthy for one to ignore the existence of a problem. In addition, Stella chooses not to believe the truth that Stanley has raped her beloved sister,Blanche. Aain, this is because she is unwillimg to confront with the reality. For her, Stanley is her beloved husband whom she can trust on.
In short, I think it is not only Blanche who pushes the ugly truth under the carpet, but Stella too. Unwillingness to face the reality instead has drawn them apart at the end of the play.
Karen
134159
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