Homework Teacher Notes: Please make sure all students have the following

bullet points down in their peer assessment section.

‘Domestic Violence in A Streetcar Named Desire’ – How is domestic violence presented in the play?
- Literary critics tend to ignore the subject of domestic violence which mirrors the comteporary society’s view of it being a family matter
that should be kept behind closed doors.
- Stanley’s behaviours match the profile of an abuser and Stella’s behaviours match the profile of a battered woman.
- Williams would not be reflecting on this sociological profiling because domestic abuse was not a topic of discussion at the time of
writing the play. He may have been reflecting on his own history of domestic abuse in his childhood.
- Stanley’s profile as a batterer: 1. hypermasculine 2. believe in male superiority 3. resort to abuse in order to control 4. jealous and
possessive 5. dual personality.
- Stella’s profile as a battered woman: 1. low self-esteem 2. traditional views about women in the home 3. passive 4. cope by using
denial.
- Williams stated that Stella has a “natural passivity”.
- There is a masochistic reading of Stella – which may have been inspired by 1940s Freudian psychology – that she enjoys and invites the
violence. But her immediate reaction to the violence in the play suggests that this is not the case.
- The play even follows the suggested cycle of domestic violence: 1. the tension-building phase 2. the acute battering incident 3. the
loving contrition stage.
- We could see the rape scene as the second cycle in the play. Blanche being used as proxy for Stella.
- Domestic violence in the play is not presented as unique – Steve and Eunice go through similar patterns. Their conflict is not taken
seriously by the other characters and therefore the characters reflect the prevailing attitude towards spousal abuse in the 1940s.
- Literary critics often suggest that the Kowalski marriage is a happy one that is interrupted by the arrival of Blanche.
 Saturday 2 December 2023
Stella and Mitch
Presentation and discussion:
Research Questions –
1. ‘Domestic Violence in A Streetcar Named Desire’ – How is domestic violence
presented in the play ________________ will be presenting their findings.
Homework:
Homework Six will be due in two lessons time:
• A Streetcar Named Desire Homework Booklet: Homework Six.

• You should be reading for pleasure at home to coincide with your

homework. If you need any advice on what to read, please ask myself
after class.
 Words of the lesson:
Passive (adj.) – accepting or allowing what happens or what others do,
without active response or resistance.

Learning objective: The understand the purpose of Stella and Mitch’s

characters.

1. To analyse the role of 2. To analyse the role of 3. To debate their role

Stella Kowalski. Harold Mitchell. in Blanche’s downfall.
Stella

Discussion: What is the purpose of

Stella?
Stella – Bridge or Battlefield?
Critical Essay

Read the critical essay in your resource booklet and answer the below
comprehension questions.
1. Summarise Bigsby’s thoughts on what Stella’s choice represents.
2. What did Elia Kazan think of Stella?
3. In ‘Streetcar’ what is Stella the only example of?
4. What is the most important thing to Stella?
Critical Essay
Read the critical essay in your resource booklet and answer the below
comprehension questions.
1. Summarise Bigsby’s thoughts on what Stella’s choice represents. Bigsby states
that Stella chooses New America over the Old South. She chooses the future
that does not rely on illusion to sustain itself. She chooses this because she is
strong enough to do this, unlike Blanche.
2. What did Elia Kazan think of Stella? He believed that she was ‘Stanley’s slave’.
3. In ‘Streetcar’ what is Stella the only example of? She is the only example of
humanity.
4. What is the most important thing to Stella? She is committed to her dependence
on love and her man.
Mitch

Discussion: What is the

purpose of Mitch?
Mitch – Blanche’s last hope and Stanley’s foil
Critical Essay

Read the critical essay in your resource booklet and answer the below
comprehension questions.
1. What does Blanche seek in Mitch?
2. What does the loss of Mitch symbolise?
3. What is the main thing Blanche seeks from her lovers?
4. Why is the Mitch the perfect person to offer her this?
Critical Essay

Read the critical essay in your resource booklet and answer the below
comprehension questions.
1. What does Blanche seek in Mitch? A house – a place of protection.
2. What does the loss of Mitch symbolise? It symbolises the loss of
her reputation, her place of safety and her charms.
3. What is the main thing Blanche seeks from her lovers? Protection.
4. Why is Mitch the perfect person to offer her this? He has a big
heavy frame which promises to protect her and he is tender and
mother-complexed which assures her compassion.
Discussion

Both Mitch and Stella could have saved Blanche from her fate in Scene
11 – why didn’t they?