It’s no coincidence that Blanche and Mitch end up being a couple in Tennessee Williams “A Streetcar Named Desire" as the decisions they make as well as the actions they take are heavily influenced by their similar desires.
In the play, Blanche is arguably the character whose actions are most influenced by the desires she has. Williams shows this symbolically in the very beginning of the play as Blanche literally takes a “streetcar named Desire… to Elysian Fields” (1540, 1541). By Blanche, who is the only character to take this streetcar in the entire play, taking the streetcar, it shows how her actions are completely influenced by desire as she needed “Desire” to even get to her sisters place. We find out later in the play that the desire that she is driven by happens to be the wanting of security from a significant other. This just so happens to be the same desire that drives Mitch to Blanche in the play. Mitch and Blanche both desire a significant other to spend the rest of their lives with. As Mitch says himself after Blanche opens herself up to Mitch, “You [Blanche] need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be – you and me, Blanche” (1579). Although Mitch and Blanche both desire a significant other, they desire one for different reasons. Mitch desires Blanche because he is afraid of being “lonely when [his mother] passes on” (1578). Mitch also desires Blanche in the way that “likes [Blanche] to be exactly the way [she] is” (1575). Blanche, however, doesn’t desire Mitch for his personality or his looks, but for his desire. Continuously throughout the play, the reader can notice that Blanche loves compliments. Blanche even tells Stanley in scene two that she was “fishing for a compliment” (1552). Blanche understands that Mitch desires her. Therefore, Blanche dictates their relationship in ways, such as having dates at night so that Mitch doesn’t see the wrinkles on her face, so that he will continue to desire her. In Blanches mind, as long as Mitch desires her, Mitch will always give her compliments and attention.
Mitch and Blanche’s desires are the same in that they both wanted to be with someone else, but Mitch’s desire to be with someone that he genuinely liked drove him away from Blanche, whereas Blanche’s desire for someone to give her compliments and attention forever drove her to insanity.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Everyone's Sorry When They Are Caught
At the end of scene three in Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” we see Stanley, the stereotypical 1940s manly character, showing remorse for his actions because the love he has for Stella prevails over the angry person that his character is.
Scene three takes place in Stella and Stanley’s apartment where Stanley and his friends are having their weekly Saturday night poker game. The game seems to have gone on till two thirty in the morning and both Stella and Blanche have recently come back from their night on the town seeing a show. After some time back home, Blanche turns on a radio that Stanley had already said once to keep off. This puts Stanley over the edge. He throws the radio out the window, and, after Stella yells at him for being a “drunk animal,” he charges at Stella and strikes her (1561). This is the macho character that we have seen from Stanley all play but now in a very extreme state. He shows his male dominance by striking Stella and letting her know he is the head of the household. (As a side note I don’t in anyway believe in this activity. I am simply reading it from Stanley’s point of view). At this point Stella runs out of the apartment, and Stanley, after he has sobered up a little bit, realizes what he has done and runs after her. So far all we have seen is Stanley being his normal testosterone fueled self, but I feel the following sequence of events proves that Stanley, the stereotypical macho man, is nothing without the love of Stella.
When Stanley realizes that his “baby doll” had left him, he begins to “sob” and calls the apartment where he believes she has run off to (1562). This is the first time in the play that we see Stanley cry, it is also the first time in the play we see Stanley show any form of love towards his wife Stella. Although one could argue that Stanley might only be feeling sorry for his actions just to have Stella come back to him, I believe that Stanley shows legitimate remorse and his character changes slightly into a more loving husband. After some time yelling “Stella” into the quiet night, Stella comes down from the apartment, and without words, forgives him as he carries her like a newlywed back into their apartment (1562). This remorseful and loving side of Stanley shows that he truly cares about Stella, and that he wants his love for her to be stronger than the innate anger that runs through his Polish blood.
Scene three takes place in Stella and Stanley’s apartment where Stanley and his friends are having their weekly Saturday night poker game. The game seems to have gone on till two thirty in the morning and both Stella and Blanche have recently come back from their night on the town seeing a show. After some time back home, Blanche turns on a radio that Stanley had already said once to keep off. This puts Stanley over the edge. He throws the radio out the window, and, after Stella yells at him for being a “drunk animal,” he charges at Stella and strikes her (1561). This is the macho character that we have seen from Stanley all play but now in a very extreme state. He shows his male dominance by striking Stella and letting her know he is the head of the household. (As a side note I don’t in anyway believe in this activity. I am simply reading it from Stanley’s point of view). At this point Stella runs out of the apartment, and Stanley, after he has sobered up a little bit, realizes what he has done and runs after her. So far all we have seen is Stanley being his normal testosterone fueled self, but I feel the following sequence of events proves that Stanley, the stereotypical macho man, is nothing without the love of Stella.
When Stanley realizes that his “baby doll” had left him, he begins to “sob” and calls the apartment where he believes she has run off to (1562). This is the first time in the play that we see Stanley cry, it is also the first time in the play we see Stanley show any form of love towards his wife Stella. Although one could argue that Stanley might only be feeling sorry for his actions just to have Stella come back to him, I believe that Stanley shows legitimate remorse and his character changes slightly into a more loving husband. After some time yelling “Stella” into the quiet night, Stella comes down from the apartment, and without words, forgives him as he carries her like a newlywed back into their apartment (1562). This remorseful and loving side of Stanley shows that he truly cares about Stella, and that he wants his love for her to be stronger than the innate anger that runs through his Polish blood.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Eveline and David Lurie
In James Joyce's story "Eveline," the main character, Eveline, experiences a sense of paralysis when faced with the decision to leave her home once and for all. This paralysis ceases when she reaches an epiphany that she can't leave her home, even if it is with the man of her dreams.
Eveline is a nineteen year old girl who is the head of the household. Although her father would be one to argue, Eveline takes care of the house, feeds the children, and makes sure the children get their studies done ever since her mother died. In addition to this, Eveline's father is an angry person. Eveline even says herself that sometimes she feels "in danger of her fathers violence" (38). She feels this way because there is no one left to protect her; she had two older brothers and her mother to protect her before, but both the mother and one of the older brothers are dead, and the other brother is now working away from home and can't protect Eveline daily. No one would blame Eveline from wanting to "run away" from this threatening and stressed lifestyle (37). This option comes upon her when she meets Frank.
Frank is the man of Eveline's dreams. Eveline describes him as "kind, manly, and open hearted" (38). Frank convinces Eveline to run away from her unattractive lifestyle and go with him to his home in Buenos Ayres. When the day finally comes for Eveline and Frank to depart, Eveline freezes at the railing of the ship. She is paralyzed. All Eveline knows is home. Although she is fearful of her father, she knows her father "could be very nice" and would "miss her" if she were to leave (39). This along with the promise she made to her mother on her mother's death bead to "keep the home together" lead Eveline to the epiphany that she couldn't leave home.
One can see a similar type of epiphany dealing with one leaving ones comfort zone for something better in the novel Disgrace. David Lurie is generally accepted as a womanizer in the novel. He moves from woman to woman never completely satisfied and eventually always desiring another. At one point in the novel, however, David Lurie is paralyzed when he comes to the epiphany that he needs no more women. This point emerges when he finds Teresa, a character in an opera he is writing to himself. When he finds her in his mind he is stuck in his house for days writing and singing about her. David Lurie leaves his comfort zone of sleeping with many woman to being happy with only imagining one. This is similar in idea to the "Eveline" epiphany, but opposite in the decision making of the character Eveline (David Lurie leaves whereas Eveline stays).
Eveline is a nineteen year old girl who is the head of the household. Although her father would be one to argue, Eveline takes care of the house, feeds the children, and makes sure the children get their studies done ever since her mother died. In addition to this, Eveline's father is an angry person. Eveline even says herself that sometimes she feels "in danger of her fathers violence" (38). She feels this way because there is no one left to protect her; she had two older brothers and her mother to protect her before, but both the mother and one of the older brothers are dead, and the other brother is now working away from home and can't protect Eveline daily. No one would blame Eveline from wanting to "run away" from this threatening and stressed lifestyle (37). This option comes upon her when she meets Frank.
Frank is the man of Eveline's dreams. Eveline describes him as "kind, manly, and open hearted" (38). Frank convinces Eveline to run away from her unattractive lifestyle and go with him to his home in Buenos Ayres. When the day finally comes for Eveline and Frank to depart, Eveline freezes at the railing of the ship. She is paralyzed. All Eveline knows is home. Although she is fearful of her father, she knows her father "could be very nice" and would "miss her" if she were to leave (39). This along with the promise she made to her mother on her mother's death bead to "keep the home together" lead Eveline to the epiphany that she couldn't leave home.
One can see a similar type of epiphany dealing with one leaving ones comfort zone for something better in the novel Disgrace. David Lurie is generally accepted as a womanizer in the novel. He moves from woman to woman never completely satisfied and eventually always desiring another. At one point in the novel, however, David Lurie is paralyzed when he comes to the epiphany that he needs no more women. This point emerges when he finds Teresa, a character in an opera he is writing to himself. When he finds her in his mind he is stuck in his house for days writing and singing about her. David Lurie leaves his comfort zone of sleeping with many woman to being happy with only imagining one. This is similar in idea to the "Eveline" epiphany, but opposite in the decision making of the character Eveline (David Lurie leaves whereas Eveline stays).
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Laying Pipes with David Lurie
I went to lay pipes today for the new house and Mr. Lurie was nice enough to help me out. He was worried that he wouldn’t have the expertise to lay the pipes but I told him it was ok; he was only handing me tools anyways. Mr. Lurie is a nice man, a good man, but he can also be a mean man. I know he is just looking out for his daughter but he doesn’t want to look out for anything else at all. He focuses too much on his daughter; he needs to see the greater picture of things sometimes. I knew he was going to ask me about the day Pollux killed the dogs. I know Pollux didn’t know what he was doing. Pollux is too young to understand good from bad still, especially since he has grown up with those crooks. Now that Pollux is in my family I can raise him right. Though he may be a bad boy now, he is only a boy and I can change him to be a man – a good man. As for Mr. Lurie though, he will never see this. He sees Pollux as a black crook and that is all. Mr. Lurie has good intentions about his daughter but he just needs to see the bigger picture.
The above paragraph is the diary entry of Petrus after laying pipes with David Lurie. In this scene, David asks Petrus for the information on this boy Pollux that he saw at Petrus’s house the night before. Petrus responds by saying, “David, it is a hard thing you are saying, that this boy is a thief.” (137) These first words by Petrus show us that Petrus has the opposite opinion of David, therefore, in the diary entry, I tried to emphasize the disconnection between David and Petrus through Petrus saying that David “needs to see the greater picture of things,” which then gives the reader the sense that Petrus is looking down on David.
The passage in the book also talks about how Petrus says that Pollux is too young to “go to jail” (138). Later in the novel we also learn that Pollux is going to be living with and be family of Petrus. I tried to reflect these two things in Petrus’s diary entry by Petrus saying that he can change Pollux from a bad boy to a good man by being a father figure to him. It also shows how Petrus thinks about David not understanding how it is to grow up in East Cape without a proper father figure. Petrus believes he can change this in Pollux, and therefore that is justification enough to him to not let Pollux go to jail.
The above paragraph is the diary entry of Petrus after laying pipes with David Lurie. In this scene, David asks Petrus for the information on this boy Pollux that he saw at Petrus’s house the night before. Petrus responds by saying, “David, it is a hard thing you are saying, that this boy is a thief.” (137) These first words by Petrus show us that Petrus has the opposite opinion of David, therefore, in the diary entry, I tried to emphasize the disconnection between David and Petrus through Petrus saying that David “needs to see the greater picture of things,” which then gives the reader the sense that Petrus is looking down on David.
The passage in the book also talks about how Petrus says that Pollux is too young to “go to jail” (138). Later in the novel we also learn that Pollux is going to be living with and be family of Petrus. I tried to reflect these two things in Petrus’s diary entry by Petrus saying that he can change Pollux from a bad boy to a good man by being a father figure to him. It also shows how Petrus thinks about David not understanding how it is to grow up in East Cape without a proper father figure. Petrus believes he can change this in Pollux, and therefore that is justification enough to him to not let Pollux go to jail.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Changing for Others
The attack on David Lurie and his daughter changes David Lurie from a womanizer who expects to be in control of women to a man that both respects women and allows them to have control over him.
Firstly the attack changes David physically. Before the attack David was a well kept person. David says that old age was getting the better parts of his looks from the days that he could just look at a woman a certain way and they would reply with a similar glance, but as we could see in the novel, David still has his fare share of women. After the attack, however, David’s looks go with his fire that was lit on him. He is stuck with a burnt ear, head wrapped in bandages, and his eyes covered with a patch. This physical transition symbolizes how he is changing with respect to woman.
David’s attitude towards the respect of women also changes. Before the attack David would sleep with any woman he found attractive almost as if women were put on the earth for David. David even says himself he is a “womanizer” (7). Before the attack he also treats women as if they are there to do what he says. We get this from David’s response to the people he sleeps with. He enjoys “passive” women much more than women that have minds of their own (19). After the attack, however, his opinion over woman changes completely since his daughter is rape. He begins to question if what he has done before was rape as well as feeling guilty for what happened with Melanie. He also changes in that, instead of women being there for him, he is there for a woman now. With his daughter being severely depressed, he takes over her daily chores and works for his daughter as if it his purpose.
Through his physical appearance and attitude, David’s idea over women has changed significantly after the attack on his daughter and him.
Firstly the attack changes David physically. Before the attack David was a well kept person. David says that old age was getting the better parts of his looks from the days that he could just look at a woman a certain way and they would reply with a similar glance, but as we could see in the novel, David still has his fare share of women. After the attack, however, David’s looks go with his fire that was lit on him. He is stuck with a burnt ear, head wrapped in bandages, and his eyes covered with a patch. This physical transition symbolizes how he is changing with respect to woman.
David’s attitude towards the respect of women also changes. Before the attack David would sleep with any woman he found attractive almost as if women were put on the earth for David. David even says himself he is a “womanizer” (7). Before the attack he also treats women as if they are there to do what he says. We get this from David’s response to the people he sleeps with. He enjoys “passive” women much more than women that have minds of their own (19). After the attack, however, his opinion over woman changes completely since his daughter is rape. He begins to question if what he has done before was rape as well as feeling guilty for what happened with Melanie. He also changes in that, instead of women being there for him, he is there for a woman now. With his daughter being severely depressed, he takes over her daily chores and works for his daughter as if it his purpose.
Through his physical appearance and attitude, David’s idea over women has changed significantly after the attack on his daughter and him.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Dylan Thomas’ father had been a robust, militant man most of his life, and when in his eighties, he became blind and weak, his son was disturbed seeing his father become “soft” or “gentle.” In this poem, Thomas is rousing his father to continue being the fierce man he had previously been.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
The major task of mourning the death of a loved one is acceptance. That is, accepting the reality that the loved one is no longer with you and accepting the multiplicity of changes that are taking place in your life due to the loss. Resisting inevitable change only leads to more pain.
There remains some controversy about how to best help people survive the loss of a loved one. While many forms of support are used and do help certain individuals, little scientific research has shown clear benefits for any particular approach.
people with depression either may not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment due to feelings of shame and stigma. Too often, untreated or inadequately treated depression is associated with suicide.
Alcohol and depression do not mix well, however. Alcohol itself is a depressant and can exacerbate existing cases of depression. On the other hand, many alcoholics drink to “self-medicate” in order to cope with things like depression.
Dylan Thomas died in the United States on a tour on November 9, 1953. His death resulted much from his alcoholism
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
The major task of mourning the death of a loved one is acceptance. That is, accepting the reality that the loved one is no longer with you and accepting the multiplicity of changes that are taking place in your life due to the loss. Resisting inevitable change only leads to more pain.
There remains some controversy about how to best help people survive the loss of a loved one. While many forms of support are used and do help certain individuals, little scientific research has shown clear benefits for any particular approach.
people with depression either may not recognize that they have a treatable disorder or may be discouraged from seeking or staying on treatment due to feelings of shame and stigma. Too often, untreated or inadequately treated depression is associated with suicide.
Alcohol and depression do not mix well, however. Alcohol itself is a depressant and can exacerbate existing cases of depression. On the other hand, many alcoholics drink to “self-medicate” in order to cope with things like depression.
Dylan Thomas died in the United States on a tour on November 9, 1953. His death resulted much from his alcoholism
This Is Just to Parody
I opened the
icebox
this morning
to have plums
and to
enjoy their cold and
such sweet
juiciness
Instead I
found a note from you
so fake
and so cold
icebox
this morning
to have plums
and to
enjoy their cold and
such sweet
juiciness
Instead I
found a note from you
so fake
and so cold
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