1 Sarah Labrie English 102 Prof.

Griffith 27 March 2012 Triumph and Traged

!n dramas" conflict is the dri#ing force" $hich %eeps the plot flo$ing. &ccording to the editors of 'orton !ntroduction to Literature 10th Edition" &lison (ooth and )ell *. Ma s"

!n dramatic conflict" each of the opposing forces must at some point seem li%el to triumph or $orth of such triumph+ $hether it is e,ternal -one character #ersus another" or one group of characters #ersus another group" each of $hom ma represent a different $orld#ie$. or internal -$ithin a single character torn bet$een competing #ie$s" duties" needs" or desires." or e#en one idea or ideolog #ersus another one -Pg112/0 all page references are to the class te,t" The 'orton !ntroduction to Literature 10th ed..

The pla A Streetcar Named Desire $ritten b Thomas Lanier 1Tennessee 2illiams !!! -1311+ 13/4." is notable for its sophisticated use of conflict and depth of characters. 2illiams $riting $as clearl influenced b his upbringing and famil histor . 5is mother $as a 1southern belle6 and his father $as angr and #iolent. 5is sister" 7ose" $as easil the most inspiring for his $riting" as se#eral of his characters ha#e been based on his sh " emotionall disturbed" and mentall ill sister. A Streetcar Named Desire has been produced in t$o #ersions8 in 2illiams9 pla te,t and in film -particularl the 13:1 production.. !t is set in 13;09s 'e$ <rleans"

2 specificall in the flat of Stanle and Stella )o$als%i" located in the neighborhood called 1El sian =ields"6 part of the =rench >uarter. 2hen Stella9s sister (lanche pa s the happ couple a #isit is $hen the true conflict begins. (lanche ?ubois and Stanle )o$als%i hold the main conflict of the drama" fighting o#er honest " manners" character" and ho$ Stanle feels he9s been cheated out of mone " though other conflicts include those bet$een Stella and (lanche" and $ithin (lanche herself. (lanche ?ubois comes across as a beautiful and intelligent 1southern belle6" $ho is #isiting her sister" Stella" after the tragic loss of their once great famil plantation 1(elle 7e#e"6 $here the t$o girls $ere raised. Soon after she arri#es ho$e#er" follo$s a hurricane of conflict. She derails the $a of life for Stella and Stanle due to her nos " intrusi#e" and out+of+place high standards. 5er actions and e,pressions irritate Stanle to no end" especiall once she has e,pressed her animalistic #ie$ of Stanle 9s character" $hich causes e,cess tension in the once carefree marriage of Stanle and Stella. (lanche is constantl being defended and 1$aited on6 b her sister Stella" $ho appears to be her onl friend. !n (lanche9s description upon her #er first entrance" the stage direction reads" 15er appearance is incongruous to this setting. She is daintil dressed in a $hite suit $ith a fluff bodice" nec%lace and earrings of pearl" $hite glo#es and a hat" loo%ing as if she $ere arri#ing at a summer tea or coc%tail part in the garden district6-1;03.. Through her $ords and actions" (lanche also appears #er distant and disconnected $ith the $orld and realit " ma%ing her one of the most comple, characters e#er created. Stanle )o$als%i" (lanche9s brother+in+la$" is a simple man" and her complete opposite. 5e $as born and raised in the #er societ that he and Stella ha#e settled do$n in" holds a stead @ob $or%ing $ith his hands" and en@o s a rough and tough po%er night $ith his buddies e#er so

3 often. Stanle 9s lines in the pla $hen $ritten out spell some $ords phoneticall the $a Stanle might sa them" indicating his slurred speech and lo$er class education. ?espite this" he cares #er much for Stella" and feels no$ that he has to compete $ith (lanche for her lo alt . Some opposites ma attract" but Stanle and (lanche repel each other. The sources of conflict for (lanche and Stanle ha#e their roots in the time before the t$o met. The setting in $hich the $ere raised leads to conflict -on the surface le#el. of manners in the presence of others" and e#en on their o$n. <n a deeper le#el" $hich is ne#er mentioned in their speech" is the battle o#er Stella9s lo alt and de#otion0 her sister #ersus the man she lo#es. &s noted in the description and definition of conflict abo#e" 1each of the opposing forces must at some point seem li%el triumph6" but $hat this pla does is %eeping the audience in suspense b creating point and counterpoint repeatedl bet$een (lanche and Stanle . !n the scene in $hich (lanche ma%es up the cruise $ith her e,+beau" Shep 5untleigh" she and Stanle ha#e the house to themsel#es and all hell brea%s loose. Stanle finall calls out (lanche for being a lunatic after she has referred to him as 1s$ine"6 and he in turn attac%s her. !n Stanle 9s mind" he and (lanche ha#e 1had this date from the beginningA6-1;B;. 2hereas (lanche" terrified of Stanle " has smashed open a bottle and is prepared to 1t$ist the bro%en end in ChisD face6-1;B;.. !n the end" Stanle 1triumphs6 in the clima, of the pla in $hich he rapes (lanche. =ollo$ing this" (lanche tells her sister of the terrible act. Stella is left no choice but to belie#e Stanle $hose child she has @ust birthed" and therefore has pro#en that her lo alt and de#otion lie $ith him. &t this point" (lanche brea%s do$n e#en further and her deranged mentalit is re#ealed blatantl . She lapses into a fantas $orld $here she is to be s$ept a$a b a past suitor" so she dresses in her finest $ardrobe $ith a rhinestone tiara on top of her fraEEled hair. Shado$s of people and @ungle music are sho$n in the stage directions each time (lanche goes into this

4 dream state. The triumph of Stanle and the demise of (lanche are finaliEed $hen at last there is a %noc% on the front door" and a doctor and nurse appear to ta%e (lanche a$a . She lea#es $ithout e#en gi#ing a glance bac% at Stella. &fter the final scene" it is assumed that the characters in conflict return to the $a things $ere before (lanche e#er sho$ed up. (lanche is bac% to being deranged" alone" ho$e#er she is no$ in a sanitarium" and Stanle continues to be the simple man he al$a s $as. The conflict bet$een these t$o is a #er complicated #ersion of the modern da issue of ha#ing a relati#e+in+ la$ $ho has a conflicting personalit . The stor of A Streetcar Named Desire raises the Fuestion amongst the readers of $ho to identif $ith. Each character has relatable characteristics" but the are all completel contrasting in personalit and beliefs. Personall " ! identif most $ith Stella" though she is not one of the lead characters. ! feel that ! can9t necessaril decide $hom to empathiEe $ith in the debate of Stanle #s. (lanche" partiall due to the connection ! feel to Stella. She is a mild+mannered $oman" $ho $ants nothing but to please the people $ho surround her. (eing caught up in the middle of this tremendous conflict tears Stella apart inside" but once the dust settles" she is bac% to her usual habits. The onl difference is the pain and suffering she feels in her thoughts each da about the $a things turned out" and $hether or not the might ha#e been different" had she stepped in.